The Explorer and the Exile (Archived, Old Version)
by Nephalos
Summary: This is the old version of The Explorer and the Exile, preserved in its entirety, bonus/alternate chapters, errors and all. I own nothing.
1. Chapter 1

Update May 2016 - You are now reading an older, archived version of this story. If you'd like to read the M-rated, revised version of this story, click here. If you'd prefer the T-rated, revised version instead, click here.

Chapter 1 - A Cold Trip Home

It was the rain. I had gotten past the bitter cold - at this point the predictable impact of the droplets on my shoulders felt good, massaging my worn muscles after crawling through that cave. There wasn't a doubt that I'd develop a cold from this, but it had been worth it - no one had been where I had for centuries, and I held the proof of that in my pack.

The star rods' blue light was faint on the edge of Piltover's suburbs, and the cloud cover and rain made the night that much darker. I kept a determined pace toward Heimerdinger's research archive. I smirked at the title. The place should have been called 'Ezreal's home away from home'. Not that I was exactly welcome in my own home…

It had been a while since I had talked to my parents. They had called me a 'child with great potential' when I had been admitted to the Techmaturgical Institute of Piltover with the highest marks at a young age. Their admiration had grown to embarrassment and then disapproval when I decided that my time was better spent exploring the place that the Institute originally found the musty tomes they based their research on in, rather than reading textbooks based on said tomes.

I suppose they'd be more open to talking to me now, though. A sick coincidence it might be, near the day I would have graduated from the Institute, the government of Piltover offered me a job, admiring my cartography and exploratory knowledge.

"Heh..." I said to myself, wondering what the look on their faces was like when they heard that. It must have been six months ago.

Brushing my dripping hair from my eyes, I knocked on the door of the archive, not expecting an answer. I backed off, looking for the hidden key.

The door opened suddenly, Heimerdinger's voice condescending; "Ezreal! I'm not sure what to do with you, boy! You were supposed to be back two days ago. I hope for your sake you at least found something worthwhile."

"...Nice to see you too, Heimer." I said, stepping inside, putting my pack down lightly on a table. Since the archive wasn't used that often, the only source of lighting were a few star-rods that Heimer had erected in the corners of the room. The concrete floor was covered by a few mismatched rugs.

I turned to the Yordle, saying, "I did find something, though. What are you doing up so late, anyway?"

Heimerdinger looked down, caught off guard by my question. "I was uh... working on something for Orianna."

I laughed at him, and then said, "Her birthday is coming up, isn't it? Hmm... Anyway, I really need to clean myself up." I said, removing my gloves, taking special care of the one I had affixed my amulet to.

"I'm not sure exactly what the origins are, but It's some sort of box from a tomb. There's a book inside - all of it's in good condition." I added, removing the items carefully from my pack, handing them to Heimerdinger.

The yordle looked them over admirably, saying, "I'll start on the restoration process tomorrow - but it looks like this one will be easy. Alright, Ezreal, I'll put this away and be off. Don't forget to lock the place if you're out and about tomorrow."

I nodded to him, saying, "Don't worry, I'll be careful."

Heimerdinger whistled to himself, walking into the next room and putting my findings in a container before leaving through the secondary exit, locking that one. I yawned, stretching, nearly collapsing right there. I fought the urge and instead walked into the washroom, stripping myself and stepping into the shower, letting the warm water wash over my body. My ribcage and shoulders were especially tender, from climbing and a rather bad tumble, respectively.

I looked at the water running down the drain as I cleaned myself, hoping one of those 'Summoners' from the League of Legends wouldn't see fit to call on me anytime soon. It wasn't likely - there had been some conflicts between Noxus and Ionia, but he wasn't well known to either of those cultures.

I actually enjoyed being summoned on occasion. It was a good escape, and decent exercise, but sometimes it happened at the most inconvenient of times, since I was not summoned like other champions.

After I finished cleaning myself, I dried off and put on some nightclothes, stumbling over to the couch I used as a bed every night, and fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - A New Destination

The sunlight. It woke me. Damn, I forgot to pull the shades over that window last night. I groaned, sitting up and glancing at the clock on the wall. One in the afternoon. I suppose I could wake up now.

I dressed slowly, eating a breakfast of eggs and bacon before walking into the map room. I smiled. One of my favorite things to do, perhaps even more than exploring itself, was plan the next venture, finding a place on the map where something looked interesting - or perhaps where there was nothing at all. I traced the line of the Ironspike mountains south of Piltover, down toward Noxus, out toward the howling marsh. I was always traveling far from home. The mountains themselves probably held something of value... perhaps somewhere closer this time?

I held put my hand against my face, considering where exactly I'd go. I'd heard that in the southwestern part of the Ironspike Mountains, there was an altar devoted to an ancient Noxian God of War. I huffed. Ancient people and their Gods.

I caught myself and laughed mildly. Modern people and their Gods. I stood up, leaving the map there, packing some clothes and equipment for the excursion.

The mirror distracted me. My image stared back at me, wearing the green jacket I had chosen today. I needed to shave - something I didn't often have to do, but it had been weeks. Frowning, I walked into the washroom and cleaned my face, careful not to cut myself with the razor.

Just when I was drying my face off, the back door opened.

"Heimer?" I asked, folding the towel.

"Negative." Said a female robotic voice. Orianna. I furrowed my brow. She was easy enough to talk to, but impossible to read.

I walked up to her and said, "Hello, Orianna." I said, watching her. The Ball floated behind her - I was under the impression it was somehow watching me.

"Hello Ezreal. Heimerdinger sent me to check on you. He told me that he is occupied at the Techmaturgical Institute today. How are you?" She asked. The look on her face, I would guess was supposed to be concern, but it seemed more like indifference.

"I'm doing well. I'm going to go exploring, in the Ironspike mountains." I told her, looking into her eyes. I looked away, going to fold up the map and put it in my pack. Her alien gaze was a little too much.

"Very well. Be safe, Ezreal. I will tell Heimerdinger of your intentions." She told me, her voice echoing slightly around the archive room.

"Thanks." I said, nodding politely at her.

"You're welcome, Ezreal." She responded. I continued putting clothes into my pack, but I stopped when I realized that she wasn't moving, glancing up at her.

"Ezreal, my father told me I should attempt to be open about my... emotions." She said, her voice sounding somewhat more friendly. Was that nervousness I detected?

She continued, "I wish to tell you that I've admired you since we met, and I hope everything goes well on your travels. You actually attempt to communicate with me, the other champions I know practically ignore me."

I felt my stomach in my throat. This was terribly awkward. I couldn't tell what she meant, exactly. Did she... like me? In what way? Was that even possible? I could feel myself blushing.

"...Thanks, Ori." I said, looking up at her, but unable to hold her steel gaze for long. I looked at the ground, bringing my hand up, running it through my hair. I heard her approach, and I looked up again.

"May I embrace you, Ezreal?" She asked. I froze for a second, but then decided that I might as well.

"Sure." I responded, moving to hug her. She embraced me back. I expected a near vice grip, but she seemed to be aware that I was a human, and her hug wasn't as crushing as it could have been. It was just literally cold.

The hairs on the back of my neck rose when I felt Orianna's cold lips on my cheek. Her eyes were closed, I noticed, not unlike a human girl. If I wasn't blushing before, I was most certainly now. I separated from her slowly, not wanting to alarm her.

"Please be careful, Ezreal." She said. I was unsure what to say or do for a while - I could still feel her lips on my cheek.

I smiled nervously, saying, "I'll try. Thank you for your kindness. I'll be back in a week or so."

Orianna nodded and said, "Farewell, Prodigal Explorer." She turned with inhuman grace and walked out of the back door.

I shivered, conflicted. Did she even really feel anything, or was she attempting to act on her father's suggestions?

I can't let my mind get dragged down that path. Shaking my head and picking up my pack, I walked out of the door, locking it and walking on without a second thought.

On my way out of town, a few people waved to me, some calling my name. They must have recognized me from watching those matches I participated in from the Institute of War. I waved back, wondering what they thought of me, if they knew that I really didn't serve a higher purpose when I fought in the League of Legends.

The road on the way out of Piltover was smooth enough. I stopped by the exit of Piltover, wondering if I could find anyone heading south toward Noxus, or the Mogron Pass. I could leave after hitchhiking with them for a couple hours and just head west, to the supposed site of the altar.

"Where you headed, boy?" A carriage driver said to me gruffly. I took him as a no - nonsense kind of individual, so I responded to the point.

"South. I'd only need to go with you until we reach the Ironspikes." I summed up, showing him a few coins.

The driver took a look at the currency and nodded, saying, "There's spare room in the back. Just don't touch anything." He pulled on the reins for the lead horse, causing the others to lower their heads as well. He was hauling what was basically a miniature storage room on wheels.

"Thanks. Here. I'll give you the other half when we're there." I told him, handing him a few coins. He nodded.

Opening the door, I wasn't surprised to see the place piled to the ceiling with boxes. I walked the few steps I could manage to the corner of the room, placing my pack down and sitting next to it.

"Boy, you awake back there?" A gruff voice said. I opened my eyes, realizing I was clutching my pack. I looked up at the cab driver.

"Yeah. Thanks. We here?" I asked him, picking up my pack, standing up as much as I could in the back of this wagon. Walking out of the door, I stretched my back. The dust stirred as I jumped out of the wagon.

"Aye. Just at the Ironspike Mountains." He said, stroking his beard a bit.

"That we are. Here's the rest." I said, reaching into my pocket and handing him a few more coins. He looked at them briefly and nodded, pocketing them. I started walking west, the fields quiet as I traversed them at a modest pace. Stopping not far from where I had been dropped off, I made sure to paint my face, under the eyes, to help with the sun.

I glanced at maps of the area, hoping I had made the correct notes earlier as to the location of this Altar. Considering I was north east of their location, I'd likely have to travel over some mountain passes. Goat trails, that kind of thing. Or walk through a few caves. Nothing I couldn't handle.

It was midday when the elevation started to rise. Luckily, it wasn't that hot outside ... at the same time, it might grow cold when I arrived near the destination.

From previous experience, I knew that the large mountain spiders and wolves near Noxus would sometimes attack travelers, so I readied my mystic bow from the amulet I stored in my glove just in case I had to use it. Usually I just had to fire a mystic shot or an essence flux and they would disperse.

When it grew dark, I donned my goggles. The night vision let me find a good place to set up camp; a clearing to the side of a goat trail. A few skinny pine trees circled the area. Cautiously, I cleared the ground for my tent, setting up afterward.

I was glad I had slept earlier on the ride there, so I'd be more likely to wake if anything approached the tent, taking note of the shape of the clearing. I used mystic shots to break up some of the trees around me, gathering them into a pile, lighting a fire later using my glove. I remember when I taught myself to do this long ago, when I was very young, in the tunnels under Piltover. A smile lit my face as I heated up my rations, eating them when they were ready.

Cleaning up the food and making sure the fire was cold, I went to sleep.

Waking up with the dawn, I set out early. I stopped along the way, finding some ancient carvings and tracing them in my travel journal. They depicted some hulking, armored figure walking on this very path. He looked sad, always being portrayed looking downward, his face unreadable. The carvings were fairly detailed and expansive, despite being so old. From what I knew of ancient Noxian lore, this very figure could be an image of that war God himself.

I picked up the pace, knowing I was getting closer. I froze, seeing smoke rising in the distance. Other travelers? Not likely. I readied my glove.

It took me the rest of the morning and into the afternoon to arrive at the former campsite. The smoke was gone, but I could see the ashy remnants of the campfire on a granite shelf of the mountain. It extended a good ten or twelve feet before dropping off sharply, clearly caused by some quake years ago. I paused, examining the place from my trail, higher up on the mountain. There wasn't a tent there. Whomever had made camp had likely moved on.

"...think she's gone." said a gruff voice from below. I knelt, obscuring myself behind some brush. Looking over it, I saw two men in Noxian military garb looking over the campsite, searching for clues.

Behind them, a figure approached. I saw her platinum hair glinting slightly in the afternoon sun, her fragmented sword held tensely in her hand. She wore strange clothes, tight and black, displaying her feminine curves very well. A tight breastplate and shoulder guard completed the ensemble, along with her gauntlets, all in a black and red coloration. This girl looked familiar. Perhaps a champion in the League? But why was she here?

With practiced grace, I saw her lift her sword to her side, swinging it in a circular motion, jumping toward the soldier ahead of her. She cried out only as she was about to strike him, knocking both of them back with a devastating rain of blows. I watched closely. She knew what she was doing. Her outfit was very close to the soldier's in color and design, which is why it was so puzzling. I struggled to remember her name, wishing I paid attention more to League matches.

The way she nearly danced around the soldiers was beautiful to watch... the only thing that brought me back to reality was the very stark contrast between her grace and their blood spilling onto the granite. She knelt at their sides, closing their eyes respectfully and folding their arms over their swords on their chests. She was whispering something now, but I was too far away to hear. A rite for the dead?

I looked down briefly to retrieve my pack - I had set it down earlier when I saw the soldiers. I looked up.

She was gone. I looked around me and stood up. The shelf was a wide, open spot along the trail, she really didn't have many places to go…

I heard footsteps behind me, and then... everything was black.


	3. Alternate Chapter 2

Hello everyone! Sorry that I've been gone so long. This is a nod to a few people's requests on Reddit. It's a bit out of my normal range of writing, and definitely not a normal lemon for me, but I do hope you enjoy it. Thanks for all the reviews so far. And so, here commences an alternate version of the first half of chapter 2. Please note, this is NOT canon, just something I decided to write as a favor to my readers.

Chapter 2 - A New Destination (Alternate Version)

The harsh light filtered in through the window slowly, reminding me that I'd forgotten to pull the window shade down the night before. Groaning and glancing at the clock, I stood up.

I dressed slowly, eating a breakfast of eggs and bacon before walking into the map room. I smiled. One of my favorite things to do, perhaps even more than exploring itself, was plan the next venture, finding a place on the map where something looked interesting - or perhaps where there was nothing at all. I traced the line of the Ironspike mountains south of Piltover, down toward Noxus, out toward the howling marsh. I was always traveling far from home. The mountains themselves probably held something of value... perhaps somewhere closer this time?

There wasn't an immediate need to travel, however. A few days rest might be nice. Maybe I could even catch up with a few friends in town. I caught myself pacing back and forth.

The mirror distracted me. My image stared back at me, wearing the green jacket I had chosen today. I needed to shave - something I didn't often have to do, but it had been weeks. Frowning, I walked into the washroom and cleaned my face, careful not to cut myself with the razor.

Just when I was drying my face off, the back door opened.

"Heimer?" I asked, folding the towel.

"Negative." Said a female robotic voice. Orianna. I hadn't been expecting her. Although I wasn't really willing to admit it in conversation with most people, she intrigued me. Did I feel myself blushing?

I walked up to her and said, "Hello, Orianna." I said, watching her. The Ball floated behind her - I was under the impression it was somehow watching me.

"Hello Ezreal. Heimerdinger sent me to check on you. He told me that he is occupied at the Techmaturgical Institute today. How are you?" She asked, stepping closer to me than most humans would casually do. It was bold, in a way. How independent was Orianna from any programming? Did she desire to stand there, her face only a foot from my own?

"I'm doing well. I was considering going exploring, but I might actually stay in town a few days." I told her, looking into her eyes. I looked away, going to fold up the map and put it in my pack. Her gaze, while somewhat unnerving, also made me feel… intriguing, like she wanted to get to know me.

"Very well. Be safe, Ezreal, whatever you decide. I will tell Heimerdinger of your intentions." She told me, her voice echoing slightly around the archive room.

"Thanks." I said, nodding politely at her.

"You're welcome, Ezreal." She responded. I continued putting clothes into my pack, but I stopped when I realized that she wasn't moving, glancing up at her.

"Ezreal, my father told me I should attempt to be open about my... emotions." She said, her voice sounding somewhat more friendly. Was that nervousness I detected? I could certainly feel the red in my cheeks now.

She continued, "I wish to tell you that I've admired you since we met, and I hope everything goes well on your travels. You actually attempt to communicate with me, the other champions I know practically ignore me."

I felt my stomach in my throat. This was terribly awkward. I couldn't tell what she meant, exactly. Did she... like me? In what way? Was that even possible? I could feel myself blushing.

"...Thanks, Ori." I said, looking up at her, but unable to hold her steel gaze for long. I looked at the ground, bringing my hand up, running it through my hair. I heard her approach, and I looked up again.

"May I embrace you, Ezreal?" She asked. I froze for a second, but then decided that I might as well.

"Sure." I responded, moving to hug her. She embraced me back. I expected a near vice grip, but she seemed to be aware that I was a human, and her hug wasn't as crushing as it could have been. It was strangely comforting, even if Orianna's hands were a bit stiff.

The hairs on the back of my neck rose when I felt Orianna's cold lips on my cheek. Her eyes were closed, I noticed, not unlike a human girl. If I wasn't blushing before, I was most certainly now. I separated from her slowly, not wanting to alarm her.

My heart was pounding in my stomach as I moved my lips close to her own, planting a kiss there. Orianna made a sound, something like a giggle. I thought it was cute. She stepped back a bit, looking at me with a different sort of intensity.

"Ezreal. I've never felt this way before." She told me, her mechanical voice wavering with uncertainty. "Can I ask if you admire me as well?"

I smiled nervously, saying, "I - I don't know, Ori. You've been nice to me, since I've met you."

She noticed me blushing and walked up to me, noticing a bulge in my pants. Why was I aroused? By a machine?

"Ezreal, your body is indicating that you are aroused. Did my actions cause this?" She asked, kneeling down in front of me with mechanical precision, inspecting the front of my pants. I was disturbed, and considered telling her that she should leave, but…

"...I think so. I'm confused. I don't know why I'm aroused. You aren't someone I could... be with like that. No offense." I told her, letting her touch my belt. She removed it quickly, setting it gently on the floor.

"I understand, Ezreal. But you are mistaken. I am outfitted for human pleasure. My father did not construct me for such a purpose, but my maker imparted me with the knowledge to modify myself. He never expected me to use it for such a reason, however. I have never been used for such a reason. Perhaps you would like to try?" Orianna asked, looking up at me. I looked into her glowing blue eyes with fascination. 'Outfitted for human pleasure'? I suppose Orianna was intelligent and knew about human pleasure... and likely how to cause it, too. Still, this was more than a little strange.

"I... I don't know. I want to, but at the same time, something tells me this isn't right." I told her, feeling more unsure by the second. Orianna's figure kind of appealed to me, in a strange way. And I was curious about exactly what modifications she had made to herself…

"I would not tell anyone else of our actions, Ezreal. If you so desire, show me what you would do to me if I were a human girl. I am..." She paused, tracing a metallic finger down the center of my cock through my pants, looking from there into my eyes. "Curious."

I wanted her to continue, so I nodded and gave in, saying, "Alright. As long as no harm comes of it..." I bring my hands lightly to her wrists, then guide them to my pants. She understands and undoes them, slowly pulling down my trousers as well, causing my erect cock to spring free.

Slowly, she encircled a hand around my girth and began to stroke me. I was a bit surprised that it wasn't rough at all. With her other hand, she lightly put a finger on the head of my member. She pulled her finger up slightly, a droplet of pre-cum glistening on her metal fingertip. I watched her, looking at her fingers, reflected in her eyes.

"This feels good, Ezreal. Are you enjoying it? Your body would indicate such." She said, speeding up her stroking.

"Y-yes it does." I managed to stammer. "Why don't we move over to the bed?" I asked her.

Orianna nodded, making a cute giggle - like sound before facing me on the bed, sitting on my lap and straddling me. She detached her plated skirt, showing off a surprisingly lifelike artificial pelvis, and… a vagina. Or at least, something that looked a lot like one. I gave her a curious look, unsure how it would feel.

"You made that?" I asked her as I rubbed my cock against it. It felt good.

"I had one of the… shops in the red light district help me with it." She said. "I've never used it before."

"Here, let me…" I said, moving her around, underneath me. Since Orianna's bladed skirt had been removed, it wasn't hard to lay her down. She spread her legs, even wrapping them around my waist like the dancer she was.

"Ready?" I asked her. She nodded, and I pressed myself inside of her.

She was tight - tighter than most any other human girl I'd been with. It was slick as well. If I closed my eyes, she could have passed for the ballerina she had been modeled after.

A warm whirring sound filled my ears as I pressed my head into her neck. The metal on her neck and collarbone was surprisingly warm now with my breath. Could she feel me inside of her, fucking her? Her closed eyes and pleasant sounds seemed to say yes.

"Mmmm…" I said, sinking myself deeper into her artificial pussy. I could feel the sides of my balls lightly touching her metallic thighs as I penetrated her. She even seemed to be learning, adding a gyration of her own hips as we thrust together.

"Are you close, Ezreal?" She asked, bringing one hand around to my ass, touching me lightly. I was, feeling my cock pulsating inside of her, my balls tensing up.

I nodded to her, and she made an almost moan-like sound, saying "Inside of me, Ezreal."

I could feel myself release inside of her, the artificial walls holding my member tightly as I let loose. She held me close, kissing my lips lightly as I climaxed. Her pussy couldn't hold all of my cum, so I felt some it leak backward, mixing with Orianna's lubricant around my groin and balls.

Pulling myself slowly out of her, I looked into her face, finding it surprisingly warm.

"I'm glad we could be together, Ezreal…" She said, standing up and reattaching her skirt, forming her lips into the semblance of a smile. Still recovering, I cleaned my my groin off with the towel from shaving earlier, setting it aside and putting my pants back on before hugging her.

"Thank you." I relied with. She stepped over to me, embracing me. "Perhaps we can do this again sometime." I suggested.

"I would enjoy that, Ezreal. I must go. Good luck in your travels." The Clockwork Maiden said, nodding to me before turning on her heels and walking away.

I sighed when she left, wondering what had just happened.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 - The Exile

I coughed; the first thing I was aware of was the terrible taste in my mouth. I must have inhaled some dust earlier. There was a throbbing pain the back of my head, and when I opened my eyes, I still saw nothing. I panicked briefly, spitting now to get the dirt out of my mouth.

I realized I was blindfolded after shifting around a bit. Blindfolded and tied up. By who? That girl? The cloth was thick enough to obscure my vision, but I could tell that there was at least some source of light nearby.

"You're awake." said a female voice. I turned my head toward the source of the sound.

"Why tie me up? I didn't mean you any harm or anything." I responded harshly.

She ignored me, it seemed, saying, "I found you watching me, conveniently appearing just after the Noxian guards sent to kill me, or drag me back to Noxus. The only reason I didn't kill you on the spot is because you looked a little familiar to me. Have I seen you before? Care to explain yourself?" Her voice hung in the air briefly. It had a beautiful sound, and I would have appreciated it more if conditions weren't what they were.

"I'm Ezreal. Aren't you a champion in the League of Legends? I am too, just not in the same way you are." I said to her, sighing, hoping she remembered more than I could. So far, it wasn't looking good for me.

I heard her gasp slightly. "...That's where I've seen you before... I'm sorry, Ezreal. I'm Riven." She said, undoing my blindfold and the ropes at my wrists and ankles.

"Riven. I couldn't quite remember your name, either." I told her, massaging my wrists. "Would you mind handing me my pack?" I added. She handed it to me without a word. Standing slowly, the sandstone beneath me revealed we were inside a small cave. I retrieved my water canteen and washed my mouth out, stepping outside of the cave and spitting on the ground. I rubbed my eyes, seeing that the sun was setting.

I looked back at her, examining her up close for the first time. She looked like she'd been through quite a bit recently. A determined resolve was clearly evident in her eyes, but I could tell that she wasn't so iron willed. Her make up, crimson and black, dripped down from her eyes, a clear sign she had been crying. It was nearly symmetrical though, and actually rather attractive in a strange way. It was apparent that she'd made an effort to keep her uniform clean, the black leather clinging to her athletic form, shining a bit in the evening light. She was blushing, too, probably because she regretted tying me up. She ran her right hand, covered in a large gauntlet, through her hair, clearly a bit nervous.

"...I feel bad for hurting you, Ezreal. I wish I paid more attention to the other champions. I'm new to the League, and I haven't had many matches with you." She said.

"It's alright, Riven. Just don't make a habit of it. Can I ask why you're out here anyway? Then I suppose I can tell you why I'm here." I said, sitting down on the floor of her tent.

She looked up at me, saying, "Well... after a League match, the Noxian military sent me a letter, informing me that my enrollment in the League didn't grant me leave from my military duties. I thought that they would merely count me as dead and move on, but I suppose they heard as soon as I enrolled in the League, and looked for me since. I left Noxian society for good. I don't want to return! I couldn't wait for the bureaucracy at the Institute to grant me amnesty - I knew if they had sent me that letter, it was a miracle I was still alive. I had to leave then. So I ran away, thinking I'd be safe in these mountains. But apparently not. I didn't have time to change outfits, even, which is why you see me wearing this... I managed to bring a bedroll and a few changes of clothes, though."

"How long have you been out here?" I asked. I didn't know much of Riven's history, but I could tell she was being sincere.

"...Two days. I had to make a fire to eat, but before that I hadn't eaten in days." She said.

"...You must be hungry, then. I wouldn't mind sharing with you later tonight." I said, then adding, "I'm just out here to explore and map out the area. It's just what I do. I'm looking for some altar to an ancient Noxian war God." I said. Riven's eyes lit up when I mentioned that.

"What?! You mean Ganthast?" She asked, moving a little closer to me.

"Is Ganthast the name of the God? I couldn't find his name anywhere in my research. Maybe you tying me up was a good thing after all..." I said, laughing a bit.

She responded with a nervous laugh of her own, looking downward. It was a little strange to see the way Riven acted. She had been so assertive and deadly when she had killed those guards, but now she seemed more shy and understanding. Perhaps it was merely because she made a mistake earlier.

"Yes, Ganthast. He's an old God. Not many Noxians still worship him. I heard he had an altar up here, and I've always wanted to see it, even though I don't worship any Gods." She said, her tone introspective as she looked at the runes on her broken sword. It amazed me, the appearance of that weapon. When it had been whole, the sword must have been absolutely massive.

"So you haven't been there before? Perhaps you could help me find it?" I asked her, using a bit of water to wash off the face paint under my eyes.

"Sure! I was kind of hoping to find it anyway. Maybe I could help you interpret any carvings we find. I've seen a few of them around here already." She told me, smiling for the first time since we met.

"Sounds like a plan. I don't think we're far from the altar. My map of the area says that it could be across the next ridge..." I said, forgetting exactly what the map depicted. I retrieved it from my pack and gestured. "Here we go. There's a river and a small waterfall over the next ridge. Across that, there's a trail upward. My guess, from my research, would be that it's up that trail a bit."

Riven's brow furrowed. "That could be... but a more likely place might be further down this trail, below the waterfall. It'd be a better position tactically." She explained, gesturing at the map with a finger. She removed her gloves, putting them on the floor next to her bedroll.

"We'll check both places, then." I said, nodding a bit, making a note in my travel journal.

"Ezreal, could we stop at the waterfall? It would be nice to wash myself..." She said, looking down, clearly embarrassed.

"Oh! Uh... Sure. It's quite a distance, we can stop next to it tomorrow night when we make camp." I responded, blushing as well. "I'm kind of hungry right now, though. Help me with a fire?" I asked.

Riven nodded, saying, "Sure. I'll make a fire pit." She stepped out of the tent without another word. I paused for a second. Riven was uncommonly gorgeous - not exactly what one might expect from a person who used to serve in the Noxian military. So attractive, it made me a bit nervous around her. I shook it off, knowing I had more important things to do. I stepped outside, seeing Riven hunched over, gathering stones into a circle. I walked back up the trail a ways, knowing there were some dead shrubs up that way.

We ate without saying much. She thanked me for the food, probably not eating as much as she could have out of politeness. It was a little cold, so we huddled around the fire. Knowing she didn't have a tent, I spoke up.

"It's kind of cold out here, Riven. You can sleep in my tent if you want to." I said. Immediately, I wondered if it was a good idea to make the offer. I could feel myself blushing.

Riven looked a little surprised, saying, "Oh. I... I'll be fine, Ezreal. I wouldn't want to impose." She blushed in return. "I could try to sleep in the cave... " She said, looking over at it. It was rather far from the fire and my tent.

Watching her eyes, I said, "Really, I wouldn't mind. There's more than enough room."

She looked down and said, "...Alright. Thanks so much, Ezreal. I beat you up, and now you're being so nice to me." Her gaze was averted, her tone somber and humble.

I smiled, laughing a bit to lighten her mood. "You've been a big help so far, and you know the subject I'm looking into. And you're good company. Well, except when you hit me in the head." I joke.

She laughed slightly in response, and we finish up our food.

The Exile commented, "This was a lot better than the Noxian rations I had to eat for so long. Thanks. I'll go get my bedroll and clothes and bring them to the tent."

I nodded to her, "Sounds good."

I cleaned up our plates, washing them off and putting them away, pouring the dirty water onto the fire. While I watched the water mix with the embers, swirling in black and red, I considered if I was making the right decision. Obviously, Riven being a champion meant we knew we had something pretty significant in common. But was letting Riven into my life, even as shallow as our relationship was so far, a good idea? And was it truly shallow? I could admit infatuation, but was there more? I shifted the ash over with my boot, covering the water. I'll just complete this expedition, and see what Riven does. It wasn't like I could leave her - and I certainly didn't want to.

Picking up my pack, I brought it back to the tent, unrolling my bedroll. I removed my gloves, making sure to be careful of where I put my amulet glove, keeping it on the top of my other things inside of my pack. Riven was outside the tent.

"Hey Ezreal. Can I come in?" She asked. I could see her silhouette - she appeared to be wearing her helmet and carrying her bedroll, clothes and sword.

"Please do." I said to her. She stepped inside, moving over to the left side of the tent, opposite me. The tent was fairly small, but there would still be some space between our bedrolls. She unrolled hers, kneeling on it while she removed her armor.

Since my pack was open, she gestured to my amulet bearing glove while she removed her own gloves and helmet, putting them at the foot of her bedroll.

"I've always wondered what that thing is." She said.

"Oh. I found it on one of my first expeditions. I'm not sure who it was made for. It was originally an amulet, on a necklace. I put it in the glove to more easily control my magic. For some reason, though, it also causes me to be summoned on the Fields of Justice occasionally... I've actually considered just formally signing up for the League, because of it - I rather enjoy the exercise and exhilaration of the matches." I explained, looking a bit at the glove. I removed my coat and boots, putting them at the foot of the bed.

"That sounds kind of like my sword. It was made for me when I was young, and even when broken it speaks to me in combat..." She said. I noticed her stealing glances at me while I was undressing, and I smiled just barely. Two could play at this game.

She removed her boots as well, as well as the tight leather suit that covered her, blushing all the while. It seemed she was used to a kind of lack of privacy from her military days. I glanced at her just long enough for her to notice, and then looked away. She wore a tight fitting white shirt under her suit, as well as a pair of shorts that hugged her form.

I crawled into my bedroll, but only after removing my own pants and putting them with the rest of my clothes. I decided to break the exchange of borderline flirtatious glances with dialogue.

"What about your armor? You were wearing it during a match on the Fields?" I asked, pointing to her helmet at the foot of her bed.

Riven smiled a bit, saying, "I rather like that outfit. Sometimes, the summoners have me wear different things onto the Fields. Some of them I enjoy. Some, not so much. The helmet is a bit annoying after a while, but I think the whole ensemble looks intimidating."

I nodded. "Oh. I didn't know the summoners could do that. I wonder what they would make me wear if I formally joined the League..." I commented, wondering. I lay down in my bedroll, stretching out a bit with a yawn.

Riven settled into her own bedroll as well. We both smelled of sweat, and campfire, but somehow, I was able to discern Riven's unique scent under the layers, and I rather enjoyed it.

"Goodnight, Riven." I said, looking over at her.

"Goodnight, Ezreal." She said, glancing back. She paused, and added, "And thank you."

"You're welcome." I responded, letting myself fall into sleep. It was difficult. I glanced over at Riven's bed occasionally, watching her lie there, tranquil in her rest. In the darkness, I couldn't tell if she was truly asleep, or looking back at me.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - Two Paths Converge

I awoke to the pressure of a hand on my arm.

"Ezreal?" I heard Riven's voice say. Opening my eyes, I saw her standing over me. She was beautiful, even just after waking up, with her hair undone. I blushed, realizing I was very aroused for some reason. I hoped Riven didn't notice.

"H-hey, Riven." I stuttered.

"The sun's up. Just wanted to make sure we start moving in time." She said. The Exile was dressed in a new outfit; if it weren't for her noticeable curves, I would've been tempted to call her outfit somewhat masculine. As it was, it suited her well.

"Sounds good. I'll get dressed." I said with a slight smile.

She mirrored my smile, looking back at me for a brief second before carrying her things out of the tent, waiting for me to dress. I pulled on my clothes quickly, throwing on my jacket and gloves last. Rolling up my bedroll, I grinned to myself. Today I'd be walking with Riven most of the day. The path was straightforward, so we'd be able to talk, and somewhere near the end would be a waterfall. She had been flirting with me a bit, but I'm not quite sure exactly how far her feelings went. Slinging my pack over my shoulder, I walked out of the tent, starting to break that down to pack it as well. Riven noticed this and walked over to help me, wordlessly.

Despite having never worked with this tent, she finished folding up the other half of the tent a little earlier than I finished my half. Our hands touched just slightly as she handed part of the folded canvas to me, and we both held it there for a moment. I smiled a little to her, and she separated as I finished putting away the tent.

With that business taken care of, I pulled out the map of the area, walking close to her with the map open.

"It's pretty easy today. I think we're just walking due north. This area of the mountain pass is mostly flat. At the end, we have to climb this shelf here, and then it plateaus out, and the waterfall will be next to us. Nothing we can't handle." I said, gesturing on the map. Riven looked it over and nodded.

"That'll be nice. We're almost out of water, too." She said, looking north, down the path.

I put away the map and we started to walk. The path was mostly sandstone and gravel, lined with a few pine trees here and there. It was quite tranquil.

"So this altar, what do you know about it?" Riven asked me with a curious glance.

"Almost nothing, really. Just a general location and some history of the place. I have an old text from a Noxian ruin south of here that mentions in only a few sentences - 'an altar to that ancient War God in the northern mountains'. You'd probably know more of it than I would." I said.

"I think so. But I'll probably know more upon seeing the altar. I've seen other old altars. Privates new to the service would spend nights underground in some of the more complex altars, as a dare, sometimes. I've seen quite a few." She commented, a slight smile on her face.

I read into it, saying in a somewhat playful tone, "Something tells me you were one of those privates. Were you the one daring or the one taking the dare?"

Riven gave me a slight pout, "...Both. But at least I wasn't one of the privates that went down into the Noxian Goddess of Lust's altar as pairs... or more." She said.

I blushed at that, saying, "That doesn't sound like an ideal place for that kind of activity. Underground. Well... maybe if you're into that kind of thing." I joked. I realized that Riven and I were walking closer together now than when we had first set out, our hands inches from each other's.

As we walked, the side of our hands brushed together. My stomach leapt into my throat. I decided I might as well display my affection now. Slowly, I wove my fingers through hers, looking up at her. She only smiled back, and we both stared into the other's eyes for a moment. I could see myself and the gorgeous scenery behind us reflected in her brown eyes.

Riven spoke up after a little, asking, "How did you become an explorer, Ezreal?" She asked. Her tone changed when she said my name... it sounded warmer.

I smiled at her a bit, saying, "I never really liked school as a kid. I went and did well, I guess, but I longed to get out. The world was so full of mystery, and I wanted to explore the places no one knew about. I started with the tunnels under the city... I started to draw maps. Eventually, the government offered me a job in that capacity, and now I work with Heimerdinger, mainly."

"Oh, Heimerdinger? How is he?" Riven asked. We were starting to decline in elevation now. I saw the shelves ahead, where we would have to climb to get to where the waterfall was.

"He's like an adoptive father to me, in a way. Only very eccentric. And he has an obsession with his mustache." I said, laughing a bit. I remember

Riven laughed back. "I don't know him that well. He seems funny."

"He takes some getting used to, but after a while, we got along pretty well. So... what about your past?" I asked. It wasn't hard to tell that Riven's past was a dark one, even if I didn't know her all that well just now. I could feel it - in her calloused hands, in the way she had fought those men. The grace in her movements was her second nature now. Even the way she walked spoke of military precision - not that it wasn't alluring.

She looked down, her visage growing somber.

"Since I could first remember, I was drawn to war. Maybe not consciously." She paused. I glanced at her, and it seems as though she were figuring out a way to word things. Her tone shifted; "Some of my earliest memories were me, trying to pick up my family's sword. I guess that'd be a good way to summarize it. When I grew up, I would practice fighting as often as I could. I wasn't even sure why most of the time, it just felt like the art was one with my body. The military officers spoke of strength, of prowess, of precision, and dedication to Noxian nationalism. I devoured their message..."

She suddenly looked away and downward, questioning her past decisions, perhaps.

"Eventually, I became a soldier, and I excelled at it. The military forged me this sword, and I led a contingent of our soldiers to Ionia. We were ambushed... Our intelligence had been planted by the Ionians. As a backup plan, Singed and his machines rained death on the battlefield. There was no distinction there. I thought... at one point that loyalty to Noxus meant anything... But the Noxian command had approved, or even pushed for Singed to do this, slaughtering my troops and Ionians alike. At random." Riven said. I saw her eyes water.

"I realized that the ideals I had supported... where false. All I really had was myself to rely on. My own ideals. Not those of Noxus. So I joined the League, where I can seek redemption." She continued. I looked at her, wiping a tear from her cheek. She smiled a bit in reaction to that.

"...I'm sure you'll find it. Maybe even outside of the League. That is, if you truly need redemption at all..." I said, my voice soft. I put a hand on her shoulder, and we stopped walking for a moment. I wanted to kiss her so badly. Her face was close to me; her full lips barely a foot away. The taste of her lips and tongue tempted me... But at the same time, I didn't want to pressure her. She was emotional right now for another reason - it wouldn't be entirely sincere for me to kiss her now. Instead, I hugged her tight. She embraced me back, and I decided to kiss her cheek as we separated.

"...Thanks." She said as we separated again. I held her hand again, and I realized we had arrived at the cliff we needed to traverse. Glancing over my shoulder, I noted that it was later in the day.

"Anytime. Alright... the waterfall is up there, we just need to climb this." I said. "I'll start."

It wasn't too hard a climb, since the shelf tilted in the direction we wanted to go, generally. There were some good handholds. One place concerned me though, a cleft in the rock about six feet high, with no real way to gain leverage on the wall next to it.

Riven nodded, looking up. I made sure my pack was secure and started to climb. We progressed easily until a little more than halfway. I stood on a narrow shelf, and Riven had space to stand next to me after climbing up herself. To my left was the cleft in the rock. I glanced at it.

"Hmm..." I said aloud, glancing over at Riven. "Perhaps you could give me a boost? I can probably jump and grab it with one hand... I don't see enough purchase for both hands. After I get up there, it should be easier and I can help pull you up."

Riven nodded, a determined look on her face. "Let's do it." She said. I relaxed my breathing and jumped, getting a grip on the shelf where I could, my feet now hanging in the air. I felt Riven's hands on my thighs, and she pushed me upward slowly. Since she moved me upward, I was able to move my other hand around and lift myself onto the shelf. I stood up and turned around, lying down to help Riven. She jumped like I did, her one hand on the shelf, and I held her other hand, pulling her up. I was a bit surprised at her strength. Although I was in decent shape from all the exploring I did, and the League matches, Riven must have the body of a goddess. I could see the way her leg muscles tensed through her tight pants as I helped her climb onto the shelf. It was easier than I thought it would have been, with her helping. After we were both on the same level, getting to the plateau where the waterfall was, was easy.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Beneath the Falls

"And there's the falls." I said, pointing. We continued on our path. Riven's hand brushed against mine, and she wove her fingers through mine. I glanced at her and smiled lightly.

"It's about time. I wonder what the water's like..." She said. The waterfall wasn't of impressive size, but the river at it's base was wider than at any other point, and likely deeper as well.

"Probably pretty damn cold." I told her. It was likely the river was mostly snowmelt.

"Maybe. I've bathed in colder on some campaigns. I'll still enjoy it." Riven said. I saw a clearing to the left of the waterfall, inside a semi circular rock shelf that extended off to one side of the waterfall.

I blushed immediately when she mentioned bathing. I merely nodded in agreement. "I'll probably go in too." I said.

"Uh, I mean, after you're finished, of course." I added quickly, mentally frowning at myself. Riven laughed slightly, but suddenly looked rather embarrassed herself.

"I... just realized that I don't have a towel... or anything I could use as a towel." Riven said with a blush.

I could feel myself blushing; my mind instantly considering the thought of Riven naked. Shifting my thoughts, I tried to think of a solution.

"The, uh, only thing I could think of would be if I were to wait inside the tent, while you bathed, and, maybe... You could just air dry? But then you'd have to get inside the tent to change. Or I could hand you your clothes and you could dress outside." I managed to say. I could feel myself becoming somewhat aroused, and my face certainly wasn't getting any less red.

Riven looked at me. "...That could work. That rock over there; I could probably lay on it. And then, you could do the same thing afterward?" She said, gesturing to a boulder toward the back of the clearing. We had reached it now, and I was setting down my pack, drawing out the tent so we could set it up. Riven helped, assembling the frame while we talked.

"Yeah, I could do that. And then we'll eat after." I noted. It was later in the afternoon, but we probably had more than enough time for all that. I made sure to rotate the tent away from waterfall. The simple canvas didn't have a window, but I just wanted to make it more comfortable for Riven, so I had the flaps of the door facing that direction.

It didn't take us long to set up.

"Uh, I'll just go inside now." I said to her. She nodded quietly as I stepped inside, listening to her undress outside. I could hear her footsteps down the narrow strip of beach until she reached the water. It wasn't all that far from where I was still; her sharp intake of breath told me it was probably colder than she expected.

I wasn't sure how long I could deal with this; Riven's presence was somewhat intoxicating to me, and I could tell she obviously liked me. But how deep were her feelings exactly? It had taken so much not to push her against the canyon wall and kiss her passionately. I shook it off. I needed to focus on something else. Pulling out my travel journal, I looked over the possible areas the altar could be. Riven had suggested that it might be lower, but there was one location neither of us had considered. Tracing my finger over to a ridge opposite the waterfall quite a ways. I hadn't looked into it previously; it was worth a look tomorrow.

I heard her splashing. I was glad now I had decided to make the tent face this way; there wasn't any way I could have prevented myself from looking otherwise.

Riven seemed to finish washing quickly enough - I could hear her now walking toward the rock, just to the left of the tent.

"How was the water?" I asked loudly.

"A little cold!" Riven responded as she moved over to the boulder, no doubt lying on it now. The thought of her there, lying down, naked... I shivered at the pleasurable thought.

Removing my gloves and jacket, I put them near the foot of my bedroll, waiting on Riven to finish drying.

After a few minutes, I hear the sound of Riven moving around outside the tent, dressing herself.

"Ez, I'm done now." She said. I stood up, opening the tent flaps. I smiled at her.

Riven's white hair was still damp, her face nearly glowing. I glanced down, She had dressed in a kind of low cut shirt, tied with a simple leather string at her cleavage, and a similar pair of tight pants to what she had worn earlier.

"You look gorgeous," I managed to say.

She looked down, then glanced at me, smiling. "Thanks." I held the door to the tent open for her. She passed me on the way inside the tent, her arm and breasts brushing against my chest. I paused briefly.

"I... I should go clean myself." I said, putting a hand on her shoulder and walking out. She nodded to me, blushing yet again.

Stripping down outside, I put my clothes down on the large rock. Stripping naked, I brought my underclothes out with me, washing them in the water along with my body. The cold waterfall felt good after the day of hiking along the trail. It was a bit cold, as Riven had said, but I got used to it quickly enough.

The water coursed through my hair, washing over my face. Scrubbing my face with my hands, I thought of Riven - her eyes, her taut body, the way she walked, her mannerisms. I wanted her. Cleaning the dirt from my arms and legs, I breathed deeply, trying to relax. Finishing up, I walked over to the rock, shaking myself off as best I could, stretching out on the rock face, my underclothes spread out next to me.

I looked toward the tent as I dripped dry, wondering what she was doing in there. I heard a light grinding noise. Stone against metal. Perhaps she was sharpening her weapon.

It didn't take me long to get dry. Afterward I dressed, 'knocking' on the door of the tent.

"Come in." Said Riven. I did so, seeing she was indeed sharpening her sword on a flat stone. I glanced at it.

"I wasn't able to bring a whetstone, but this works." She said, examining her sword, hefting it a bit. It was an impressive weapon, even fragmented as it was. Riven looked up, sheathing her sword.

"Time to make a fire?" She asked, smiling a bit. No doubt, she was hungry like I was. Like the night before, she constructed a fire ring and lined the bottom with smaller kindling. I was able to find a few trees a ways up the trail, having to cut them apart with my mystic bow. I took what dead branches I could, but I had to get some of the living stuff too. Walking back, I put it on the fire ring.

"Ez, do we have enough for both of us, for the rest of the trip?" She asked me, a little concerned.

"Oh, we do. Heimerdinger makes these things in his lab, he always puts more than enough for just me in there. Crazy yordle. I'm sure we'll be fine." I responded, smiling at her, retrieving water from the river, putting it into my pot to heat up the rations. Riven seemed to laugh a bit when I called Heimer a crazy yordle.

After I was done heating up the stew, I served it to her. Since I only had one bowl, I served her some in there, and then had my half in my cup. She ate quickly, afterwards dismissing herself to clean her mouth out in the river. I made sure to fill our canteens from the base of the falls. The water was clean, I had explored enough to know, cleaning my own mouth too. I washed my small pot also, cleaning it out and then using the water to douse the fire.

I retrieved my now dry underclothes from the rock face we had both laid on, bringing them back and putting them in my pack. Opening the door, Riven was just inside. We bumped into each other slightly. She smiled at me.

"Ezreal, come here..." She said, pulling me closer to her and closing the tent door behind me. Riven looked determined, her brown eyes glinting in the dying light of the setting sun. It was even darker inside the tent, the thick canvas not letting much through. Not that it mattered. We could communicate through touch; through hearing. She was strong, moving me easily; not that I resisted. I expected to feel myself blushing, but instead I merely felt desire. I just knew.

I pushed her toward my bedroll.

"I know, Riven. I wanted to show you how I felt earlier..." I said, putting my hands on her waist. I pulled off my gloves quickly, throwing them on top of my pack.

We both knelt on my bedroll. Moving one had from her waist to caress her face, I kissed her. She wanted it. I wanted it. We closed our eyes, losing ourselves in the movement of our mouths. Her full lips simply felt divine. I separated after just a brief moment, planting a light kiss on her mouth to accentuate the end of our first real kiss. She smiled at me, and then I removed my jacket. She helped me, drawing it over my shoulders and tossing it lightly onto my pack.

"Riven - I want you." I told her breathily, hugging her close now, kissing her neck. She moaned in response.

"I want you too." She said, her voice quiet but impassioned. She pushed me onto my back, asserting her lust. I hugged her, and then slid my hands under her shirt, massaging her stomach and hips, moving my hands in a circular motion.

Being a little more aggressive, Riven pulled my shirt up over my head, tossing it on the same pile she had put my jacket on. I could make out the glint of her white smile in the half-light as she traced a hand up my stomach and chest muscles. I felt her put pressure on my belt buckle as I removed her shirt. To my surprise, she wasn't wearing a bra over her tanned chest. I could even tell she was blushing slightly.

Her breasts felt wonderful. Pretty firm, her skin smooth after she had washed... her hard nipples like pebbles against the velvet of her tan orbs. They were big; I had difficulty palming them with one hand each. Riven moaned, bringing me up for a kiss. Gods, Riven did want me. After only a few seconds, she slid her tongue into my mouth, and it danced with my own in ecstasy. Our moans harmonized, causing our mouths to vibrate in unison.

Riven straddled me, pushing her breasts toward my face and neck. I felt her removing my belt with one hand, as I moved to remove her pants. Moving upward, she let me remove her pants and boots, leaving her wearing only a simple pair of black panties.

Rubbing her hand against my member through my pants, I heard her say, "Ezreal, it feels like you're excited. It's alright. I am too..." She said seductively, pulling my hand between her legs. I could feel her dripping, her panties wet with her arousal. "See?" She said.

For split second, I hesitated. "Riven, I want you. But we don't have to do this..." I said. I didn't want her to feel pressured into this simply because of the situation; us meeting, me giving her shelter.

"No, Ezreal. I want to. You're a good friend to me, showing me kindness even after I mistook you for my enemy and tied you up... And without you, I'd be so lost right now." She said, her tone serious now, shifting to soft toward the end. She kissed me again, this one full of emotion. Sincerity. Openness, affection. Maybe more? I kissed her back, drawing my hands lightly down her body, running my fingers over her taut curves.

"...I want you too, Riven. I feel like it's just easier for me to talk to you than anyone else, really. Even if I was nervous at first." I said as we both removed my pants and boxers. Slowly, she slid off her panties, making a bit of a display of it for me. My circumcised member was fully erect now, and Riven straddled me, grinding the wet lips of her sex against it. I was entranced, holding onto her hips. I traced a hand down her stomach, like she had done to me earlier, only I continued, circling the pink nub of her clitoris with my finger softly. It slid around easily, with how wet she was. She whimpered, a bit surprised. After a while, I drew back, because Riven clearly had something else in mind.

She pushed me inside of her firmly, moving at a slow pace at first. I pushed her back and forth on top of me, angling my hips, thrusting into her to find the place that caused her the most pleasure.

"Riven, you feel so good..." I managed to say, moaning. She was tight, her walls gripping me as we moved in unison. It seemed that Riven enjoyed being in charge of this, but I decided to try, to make sure. Playing it more assertively, I moved to turn us both over. She moaned, and I could tell she was smiling at me as I did, now on top of her, between her legs.

"Mmmm, Ezreal, I thought I would have to take charge." She said, wrapping her legs around me, causing her pussy to squeeze me differently, tighter. I put my arms under her back, kissing her neck aggressively. She arched her back in ecstasy as we fucked. It felt heavenly to be inside of her, and I think I had the best place to pleasure her, angling myself just so as I moved in and out of her.

"Riven, I shouldn't cum inside of you." I said to her between kisses to her neck. I slowed down slightly.

"You can if you want to. I take an herb... It won't do anything to me. I want you to release inside of me... with me." She said. In response, I continued to penetrate her. She moaned.

"My pleasure." I said, moaning as I felt her fingernails being drawn roughly over my back. I couldn't care less if she drew blood.

The increasing loudness of her moans told me she was close. I could feel myself tensing, about to release as well. I slowed down a bit right before I came, but penetrated her deeply, firmly, releasing inside of her. She screamed in ecstasy, the walls of her sex quivering around me as I pulsated, releasing my cum inside of her in spurts.

We both panted, and then I pulled out of her. She smiled to me, our juices mixing together between our legs. I moved next to her, holding her in my arms.

"...I'm so glad I ran into you." I told her, kissing her nose. We wrapped our legs around each other, not wanting to be apart.

"...Me too, Ezreal." She kissed me back, and we drifted off into our dreams together, entangled in a lustful, passionate embrace.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 - The Stone Circle

I drifted awake slowly, my senses first becoming aware of Riven's smell next to me. With that, I remembered everything that we had done the night before. Deciding to surprise her, I separated from her slightly and kissed her neck lightly. She stirred, waking up. Although she was exposed from her waist up, she smiled at me and didn't seem to care.

"Hey, you." She said, smiling a bit. I wanted to kiss her, but since I had just awoken, my breath was less than pleasant... I just smiled at her instead.

"Good morning, Riven." I said. "It's just after dawn."

"We'd better head out soon, then." She said, standing up, picking up her clothes. I stood up as well. She noticed me watching, and my inevitable arousal, and smiled.

"Hmm... I might have to help you with that later. I dreamt pleasantly of you, Ezreal." She said, teasing me a little as she slid on her panties, putting on the shirt she had taken off last night. Despite the distraction, I was able to put my undergarments and pants on quickly. She moved against me, kissing me briefly.

"I wish I could dream... But it doesn't matter. It was amazing to sleep next to you." I told her quietly after returning her kiss. It was true; I hadn't been able to dream - or at least, remember my dreams - for a long while. But if there was a person who could change that, it would likely be Riven. She and I finished dressing, ate breakfast, and headed out along the trail. The terrain today wouldn't be that complicated, and...

"Do you think we can find the altar today?" Riven asked.

"Hopefully. There are a couple places. The one you suggested is closest, so we'll head there first." I said, handing her the map I had drawn out in my travel journal as we walked.

"And then we'll find out who is the better explorer." Riven told me with a teasing smile. I couldn't help but laugh a bit.

"Riven, the superior explorer." I responded, parodying my own title and holding her hand. I glanced at her a bit, smiling.

She responded in kind, holding my hand as we walked.

"Well... I'm not sure how that would compare to 'The Exile'." She said, sounding a little melancholy.

I kind of regretted joking with her about that. I looked at her with a sincere look and opened my mouth.

"It's alright, Ezreal. I know you didn't mean anything by it." She said preemptively. The trail to the altar's likely location became steeper, and occasionally we even had to get on our hands and knees to crawl over the massive boulders. I took several opportunities to look at Riven's physique in her tight clothing as we both climbed over the rough terrain. A few times, I noticed her looking at me, as well.

She noticed this after a while, giving me sly looks whenever I took the opportunity. Eventually, we reached a plateau, sitting down and resting a while, taking a drink. The elevation was considerably higher than when I had first started on this trip, and I could feel the effect on my breathing. I wiped the sweat on my forehead up into my hair, causing it to spike up a little at a strange angle. I laughed a bit in spite of myself.

Riven, her taut body likewise a little sweaty, was able to spike up her hair as well, saying, "Hmm... I think mine looks better. You look better with your hair down. And if you keep checking me out, you might hurt yourself. Besides, you could just ask..." She said, sticking her tongue out at me playfully.

I blushed slightly, saying, "Sorry... I can't really help it. Your body is just that amazing... I'm defenseless.". And it was true. I suppose being brought up in a military society and fighting from a young age would do that to a person, though.

"I guess if we're ever in a League match against each other, I'll have to keep that in mind. All I'd have to do is flash you and my team would secure the victory." She said, pulling the V of her shirt down enough to show off her cleavage. I felt my cock twitch.

I smiled at this. "You're distracting me. We still have an expedition to finish. Besides, I can't compete with that." I took a sip of water, standing up. To illustrate my point, I flexed, showing off my decently-sized arms.

Riven made a fanning motion with her hand and pretended to swoon and faint daintily. I stepped over to her and extended a hand, helping her up. She got back up easily, and I kissed her.

"We're close. The place you suggested is just over that ridge. I'm not sure what we're looking for exactly. From what I've read, maybe... a hidden entrance, and there was something about a stone circle." I told her, holding her hand again as we started to walk.

"There were one of those in our village. I know what you're talking about. We played there as children, walking around on the different steps and singing a song about it." Riven said. The trail started to gradually slope downward now, and trees once again flanked us. It meandered with the curves of the mountainside, so I couldn't see the end.

"If we find the same kind of structure, this might be a lot easier than I thought. All thanks to you." I told her with a slight smile. She responded likewise.

The trail we were walking on was already rough, but at some point it just seemed to dissipate into endless mountain forests. I figured that the most likely place for the altar would be closer to the mountain, so I turned us right, following a barely existent path, not much more than an animal trail. I had to use a few mystic shots to clear the way.

"Ez, look!" Riven said suddenly. A cliff face to our right, with some moss clinging to it, bore Noxian carvings of some kind. I brushed some of the moss off, trying to make it out.

"Hmmm... Something about a path... I see the symbol for war here." I said. The rest was pretty worn.

"You now travel on the War God's path. Tread carefully." Riven read from the stone. I looked at her with mild surprise. She just smiled sheepishly.

"...You're amazing, Riven." I told her. "I guess we're close to the altar." Glancing around, I found a worn ramp. At some point, it might have had individual steps, but those had long been weathered away. Leading us down carefully, I paused when it came into view.

The altar looked quite tranquil, circled by foliage, a few streams dripping down the face of the mountain. The clearing was set in a bowl - shape in the terrain, the mountain towering up over one side. I pointed.

"Maybe that's your stone circle." I said. We both descended the steps slowly.

"...No one's been here for a long time." Riven said, taking a deep breath. I paused to reflect as well, drinking in the surroundings. The worn path we walked on was carpeted in moss and grass. A strange tranquility drifted down onto us, like a mist. We took our time to reach the base of the clearing, walking from the stair - like path onto the flat surface. We noticed that the circle was filled with statues - visages of ancient Noxian warriors. She glanced at them, taking in their frozen violence.

I walked with her among them, looking around. It was simple. A circular stone platform with symbols written along the outer edge, and then five statues of the warriors - but nothing like an entrance. The center of the platform was empty.

"This must date back to the second Rune War." I said. Riven nodded. She was focused on something else. Something written at the base of the tallest statue, it seemed.

"This is pretty worn, but it tells about a trial by combat to... hmmm... something about a hidden passage. And then a prayer to the God of War." She said. "It's kind of like what we did as kids on the altar in our town. Here, join me, Ezreal." She said, holding out her hands and walking to the center of the platform.

I guessed at what she was going to do. "Are we going to pray?"

She nodded.

I nodded back, saying, "It's a good start." I held her hands, and we both inclined our heads.

I heard her reciting some Noxian chant. She stumbled over some of the words, but eventually she was able to finish. I recognized a few words, but the overall meaning was lost to me. I looked into her eyes while she finished, and we both paused, waiting.

"Hmmm, maybe I got it wrong." She said, looking down, trying to remember the words.

"I wish I could help. It sounded solid to me..." I replied, looking around the clearing. I looked at my glove briefly, sensing something wasn't right. Glancing at Riven, I started to talk.

"Riven-"

"We aren't alone." She said with a tense whisper, putting a hand on her sword, raising it into a defensive position slowly, hiding behind a statue. I followed suite, watching the path down into the clearing. I could see a few soldiers descending. Noxians. I hate those guys.

I focused myself, feeling the magic flowing through my veins, connecting with the amulet in my glove. Riven looked at me with a nod, looking more like the warrior I first saw on that cliff face.

I stepped off of the stone circle, crouching in the trees behind it. Riven stepped down slowly as well. I removed my pack, not wanting it to weigh me down in combat. They had finished their descent now, and were on the other side of the platform. I crouched, focusing energy into my glove. Leaping over the platform, I let fly a trueshot barrage, hitting the soldiers directly. A few had their shields raised and were blown backwards, dropping their weapons. The one in the front died, the energy tearing through him violently. He crumpled to the ground, his helmet and weapon falling from his charred form chaotically.

Riven jumped ahead of me now, a resolve in her eyes. The runes on her sword were glowing now. Her sword appeared to be complete now, the broad blade moving with grace as she dashed in to the soldiers, stunning them with an up front blow, then dashing to the side, shielding herself from a counter attack. I arcane shifted closer, firing an energy bolt at the nearest soldier, causing him to reel in pain. Not letting up, I fired an essence flux through Riven as well as the soldier to her left. Riven didn't notice it, but her attacks seemed to speed up slightly. I heard a cry from the soldier as his arm was severed from his body by the bright wave of energy.

The first few soldiers seemed to be down for the count, but four more remained. One jumped toward me, moving in for an underhanded swipe of his sword. I jumped backwards, back on to the platform, firing another essence flux, this time at his legs, causing him to fall over in pain. Seeing Riven struggling against three soldiers, I arcane shifted closer to her, using my mystic bow to fire a mystic shot at one attempting to flank her, bringing him down.

Suddenly, pain. I felt an intense pain in my side. The guard I thought I had finished off earlier had lunged at me, landing a wayward swipe on my side. Riven saw this and yelled aggressively, crushing the man with a broad swipe of her sword.

There was one guard remaining now. He dropped his sword and turned to flee. I looked at Riven with pain in my eyes. I knew we couldn't let him escape. Gathering my strength, I arcane shifted after him and fired another essence flux at his back. The armor he wore did nothing to protect against my magic, and he crumpled to the ground. I felt dizzy after the exertion of energy. The world tilted at crazy angles.

"Ezreal, are you alright?!" I heard Riven ask. I sat down on the ground, wiping sweat from my forehead with my non gloved hand. The air around me was thick and muggy now, not like it had been earlier.

"I... How does it look?" I asked her, looking at my ribcage under my right arm. I started to take my shirt off, but the pain was too much. Riven helped me, lifting it off quickly. I could see the red on the side - I was bleeding a lot.

Riven looked nervous, even scared, as she got closer to me, examining the gash in my side closely. I watched her visage change from scared to somewhat relieved.

"It's... not as bad as it looks. There's a lot of missing skin, but thankfully your ribcage is fine. I'll clean it in the stream over there. You have bandages, right?" Riven asked me.

I tried to regain focus, holding my head in my hands before saying, "Yeah, in my pack."

Attempting to stand, I was glad that it was easier to breathe again. The cool air flowed over my now bare chest. Looking at Riven gave me some comfort, putting my gloved hand on her shoulder. We both walked over to the stream after she retrieved my pack.

"You know, Riven. The way you fight is beautiful." I said. She smiled, despite the situation.

"Thanks, Ez. The way you fight is... really flashy. I can see why some of my teammates in other league matches hated fighting you." She responded, looking at the stream.

We both looked at the water, frowning. Clearly, compared to the waterfall we had been at the other night, this wasn't clean.

"I think we'll be fine if we just clean the blood off and put bandages on. I've had worse." I said, removing the medical supplies from my pack and handing a few rages and a bandage to Riven, who started to clean me up. Her hands moved quickly and efficiently. Surely she'd had to do similar work in her military days.

I stayed still for her, only lowering my right arm after she finished. It stung, but I'd be fine now.

"Thanks, Riv." I said, looking for a new shirt in my pack. I put the medical supplies back in their own container. Shouldering the pack again, we walked up to the platform again.

Apparently during the fight, we had both failed to notice the stairs that had formed, a hidden passage that sunk into the platform, leading down to the altar. We both looked a little confused, making our way downward carefully. The archway at the base of the stairs had a few new Noxian runes, these less touched by the weather.

"Hmmm... By Noxian blood... travel... descend?" I guessed, looking at Riven. She shook her head, causing her white hair to bounce a bit.

"Close. I think it says 'By Noxian blood, a passage is birthed.' Do we know what's down there?" She asked, keeping her sword in hand. Her tone grew serious again.

"No... It could be dangerous." I said, attempting to light the way a bit with my amulet. I looked into the darkness and stepped forward, descending the steps.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Together in the Darkness

The light given by my amulet was enough for us to make our way through the narrow passage.

"Do you... recognize anything, Riven?" I asked. We walked slowly, Being careful of what seemed to be precipitous drops into nothingness beside our bridge.

"No, this is nothing like the one in my village. It's so much bigger." She said, walking behind me.

I've read about architecture like this before. It seemed almost like this altar was constructed for a larger purpose than worship of only one God. The rough stone we crossed gave way to a set of stairs, leading up to a large, circular platform, complete with archways and pews. What was curiously lacking though, were any altars. Glancing around the center of the platform, I saw three archways with runes over them, with their own paths leading into the darkness. In addition to a couple torches.

"Finally." I said, pulling one of the torches down, using a mystic shot to light it on fire, handing it to Riven.

I lit the other one and used it to examine the platform we stood on. The pews seemed to be in surprisingly good shape. I walked between them, starting at the back row. Perhaps an ancient Noxian worshipper had left something on the pews worth preserving and displaying to the people in a museum.

This place was a massive architectural find. The floor was a gorgeously designed mosaic, even if the picture portrayed was grotesque. A layer of fine dust made it difficult to see, but the amount of red tiles couldn't be ignored.

"I think... this altar is dedicated to more than one God. Or Goddess." Riven said to me, taking the torch and walking up to one of the archways, trying to read the runes. I looked at her curiously.

"Hmm. The God of the Harvest... I think." She said of the archway on the left. I smiled when I found a book among the dust on the pews. Perhaps a book of prayer or hymns?

I looked at Riven, asking, "So three Gods were worshipped here?". It would only make sense, given the number of archways. I removed my pack, taking out a small box similar to the one I had given Heimerdinger earlier. Using my gloved hand, I carefully put the book in the box, careful not to harm it.

She nodded to me. "This is Ganthast's archway." Riven said, reading the center archway. I slid the box into my pack with a smile.

I shouldered my pack again, walking closer to Riven. She shined the light of her torch on the runes at the top of the arch on the right. I noticed her face turning a shade of red. She laughed slightly.

I gave her a curious look, asking, "Which God is that for?"

"Goddess." She suggested. "The, uh, Goddess of Lust." She walked closer to me, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"I have to wonder... why these three together? The Harvest, War, and Lust." I thought out loud, putting taking Riven's hand off of my shoulder, holding it as we walked instead, leading us over to the Goddess of Lust's archway.

"The Noxians used to - and sometimes still - associate fertility and mating with a bountiful harvest. War is there because it's so central to Noxian life." She said to me.

I nodded, saying, "Which is why it's in the middle. Makes too much sense." I smiled at her.

"You don't mind us checking out the Goddess of Lust's altar first, right?" I asked her. She merely smiled at me, pushing me on lightly toward the altar, clearly eager.

The passageway through this archway was shorter than the one before it. This time, the hallway was framed by walls instead of empty space. The images on the walls were... explicit, to say the least, causing Riven and I to merely smile at each other.

"You said that some of the soldiers in your company used to spend evenings down in a place like this?" I asked her.

"Yes indeed. I was invited to, but I never did. Noxian soldiers aren't exactly known for their charm..." She told me as we entered the main chamber.

It didn't seem like a normal place of worship - a few braziers lined the circular room, filled with dirt and cold ash, but no pews or places to sit down were present. Instead, a circular altar occupied the center of the room. The dust - ridden bedding that occupied the place made it's use obvious.

"So this is how they used to worship her?" I asked, referencing the Goddess of Lust. "What better way is there, I suppose..."

Riven merely nodded, pushing the old bedding off of the altar. I glanced at the statue of the Goddess at the front of the room, looking down on the altar. It wasn't surprising that she was depicted nude. Her statue was in excellent shape. She wore a large necklace, which dangled between her breasts, as well as a delicate crown of some sort.

The circular face of the altar seemed to be made of some kind of softer wood. Perhaps it had engravings at some point, but it was merely smooth now.

"This is where they would carve their names into, around the edges of the altar." She said. "Those who 'said a prayer' to the Goddess." Riven traced a finger around the altar, finding small carvings of names, long worn away beyond recognition.

"And how exactly did they pray to her?" I asked, genuinely curious. I walked with Riven closer to the statue of the Goddess, putting my torch in the brazier next to her. She followed my example, putting it down in the one at her other side.

"I think it would be easier to just show you." She told me, removing the pack from my shoulders, putting my bedroll on the altar carefully. I kissed her, but stopped her from taking further action. While Riven was hard to turn down, I didn't want to be interrupted by some evil machination and be caught with my pants down... literally.

Still, Riven seemed weary of lying down anywhere for some reason. I sensed her uneasiness, cocking an eyebrow.

"Actually, we should sweep the place first, Ez. I'm not sure it's safe." She said, putting a hand on her sword. I nodded, knowing she was right. Making sure my glove was snug on my hand, I lit the way out of the room, my amulet illuminating the dusty cracks in the ceiling. We knew this altar was safe, so we left our packs there to scout out the other altars.

I felt a slight sense of unease between us. As if Riven wanted to say something, but was too focused on the task at hand. Deciding it wasn't the best time, I focused instead on the altar of the God of War. Unlike the one we had just left, this room had a circular staircase around it's outside, leaving the altar in the center of the room on a lower plane than the entrance.

Was this a place of worship, or a gladiatorial arena? Ancient texts spoke of such arenas, but never underground... and never as a form of worship. This could be groundbreaking. I descended the steps with caution, Riven's torch lighting the floor from behind me. The stone floor bore crevices where age-old bloodstains had laid for too long, giving it a patchwork appearance. It was slightly sloped toward the center, where a metal grill seemed to act as a drain of sorts, seemingly draining to the recessed edges of the arena, where bones and ancient weapons lay gathering dust.

The only indication that this was a place of worship seemed to be the statue of the dark God. A hulking, armored form carrying a sword not unlike the one Riven carried.

Riven approached the figure cautiously, lightly touching the runes on the stone sword.

"These are different from the ones on my sword..." Riven tells me, a tinge of reverence in her voice. Walking over to her, I attempt to read them, knowing I'll be corrected afterward.

" 'Face your shadow... face the way?' " I attempt. I think I'm close with this one. Riven gives me a slightly smile.

"Face your shadow, face the truth." She says thoughtfully, and then whispers it afterward in the ancient Noxian tongue. The braziers to the left and right of the statue light in response.

I know magic when I see it. Readying my glove, I point my mystic bow at the alcoves flanking the statue, where two shadowy figures emerge from. The lighting was terrible, but they resembled Riven and myself. 'Face your shadow'...

Shadow - Ezreal also bore a mystic bow, firing a dark essence flux toward us. Arcane shifting to my mirror image's left, I fired an arcane bolt at him while dodging his own missile, then followed up by ducking, launching my own essence flux and mystic shot at the form. It seemed to adapt quickly - after the light from my essence flux went through his form, the figure arcane shifted toward Riven, hitting her with a shadowy arcane bolt upon arrival.

Riven screamed in pain, jumping backwards and lowering her sword in a defensive position to protect herself from further attacks. Shadow - Riven jumped after her, sword held high.

Charging my trueshot barrage behind her, I yelled, "Duck!". Riven crouched quickly. Shadow - Riven attempted to dodge to the left, but the energy from the trueshot barrage hit the figure's side, causing it to fumble around in what I guessed was pain.

Glancing to my right, I had time to comprehend a massive dark wave of energy before it engulfed me.

I stared up at the ceiling. Riven might have been screaming my name, but the noise seemed muffled. Strange, I could see her yelling merely feet away. Darkness consumed my vision.

Softness surrounded me. I was lying partially on a bed, with someone holding my head and upper body in their lap. Riven.

I opened my eyes slowly, realizing at the same time that my head was pressed against the Exile's chest. Somehow I managed a smile.

"...Ezreal?!" Riven said. She was ecstatic, brushing tears from her face.

I understood now. I should be dead. The dark energy my shadow had fired at me... had it been an illusion?

"Riven." I replied, reaching up to touch her face. "What happened?"

"The shadows... You nearly destroyed mine, but yours hit you. I thought you were dead..." She said, hugging me close, kissing my forehead. Her voice quivered, but she continued, "I killed the shadows. Mine was easy, since you hurt it, but yours took a while…"

Struggling to get up, I looked around the room. I felt bile in my throat. Putting my hands on my knees, I knelt over, spitting on the ground, wondering if I was going to be sick.

"I took you here afterward. The God of the Harvest's altar was a place we sometimes went for healing. The priests were also mages… I guess it was silly of me. But you're better. I think the shadows were only an illusion. They also have fresh water here." Riven told me, standing up and putting a hand on my shoulder. Groaning, I realized I was probably alright for now, and just hugged her close.

"…Water?" I asked, looking around. Riven had probably lit the only torch in the room while waiting for me to wake up. In the half light, I saw a stream flowing down a crevice in the wall. Maybe at one point it flowed from a fountain, but it had long since worn beyond recognition, gathering in a pool before flowing across the room and then into the darkness.

The cold water clung to my hands as I scooped it up, bringing it to my lips to drink. It tasted clean, but it was frigid. Feeling a hand on my shoulder, I jumped. It was Riven. She was taken aback.

"Sorry. I'm just on edge." I said between gulps of water. "That's enough exploration for one day, I think. Do you want to wash up here, then we can lie down?"

She nodded to me. Standing up, I pulled her close and just held her for a while. Having her close was comforting. She smelled like sweat and steel. Somehow, it smelled good to me. Like home; or, the feeling of being home, a place where I belong. I wanted to tell Riven I loved her. I felt that way. She might have as well, but we'd only known each other a few days. Surely it was too soon to say such things.

Instead, I gave her an intimate smile and held her hand, kissing her cheek. She mirrored my smile and then let my hand go, kneeling by the fountain and washing her face.

I closed my eyes and leaned against the wall, waiting for Riven and wondering what awaited us tomorrow.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 - Discovery and Departure

I woke up feeling a lot better than before. My muscles still felt a bit sore, but I was no longer sick and weak. I also felt... cleaner? I looked around and saw Riven, sitting on the edge of the altar I had slept on, examining her sword for nicks.

"Oh, you're awake. I was a little worried, but you were breathing, so I just let you rest." She said, smiling at me.

"Riven, did you-?" I asked, glancing at her.

"Clean you? Yeah. You fell asleep in a uncomfortable position, so I brought you here and used the other parts of that ripped up shirt you had to clean you off with the water from the fountain." She responded, interrupting me. I noticed that she had laid out some of her clothes to dry on the other side of the altar as well.

I smiled at her. "Thank you. If I haven't told you yet... you're amazing." I stood up and put on my glove, socks, and boots, stretching a bit.

"I think we can finish up down here and be on our way pretty soon." I added, walking over to a torch on the wall and picking it up. It illuminated the room, as well as Riven's smiling face. Kissing her lightly, I asked if she noticed anything interesting.

"As far as artifacts go? Hmmm... perhaps the Goddess of Lust's necklace? Other than that, I'm not sure if there was anything too notable, but perhaps we could find a stray weapon around the God of War's altar." Riven said, glancing up at the necklace she mentioned.

"Now you're thinking like an explorer." I said to her with a light smile. I reached up toward the necklace, groaning a bit when my wound from the Noxian swordsman reminded me not to exert myself.

Frowning, I instead arcane shifted onto her shoulder, carefully removing the necklace. It was large and heavy, reminding me a bit of my own amulet, except it lacked any magical power that I could sense. I gathered myself and arcane shifted back down, handing the amulet to Riven.

"I'd give it to you, but we both know it belongs in a museum." I told her.

"It's beautiful..." Riven said, looking it over. "But I could never wear such a gaudy thing. Maybe if I was a show-off like you." She teased, poking my arm lightly.

I laughed a bit. "Don't act like you don't enjoy it." I replied teasingly, walking out of the room and toward the Altar of War. The way our steps echoed in the open darkness surrounding the bridges between the altar and the central place of worship was eerie. It was fascinating to think of the accidents that might have happened with open bridges and so steep a fall in places like this. Due to the subject matter of these altars, I'm guessing children historically weren't allowed here.

The dates on the hymn books I had discovered yesterday indicated that it hadn't been used in at least three hundred years - to find artifacts as well preserved as they were was a little surprising. The God of War's Altar had been a place of violence, and as such, the weapons we found bore the scars of some ancient gladiatorial fight.

"I think an ideal specimen would be a smaller one, preferably without too much marring. If such a thing exists down here." I said, glancing around. I tried to look around the edges of the place, in the gutter with the age-old bloodstains.

Kneeling down, I noticed a few beaten pieces of metal along the edges of the room, but nothing really resembling a weapon. At least, in its current state.

Riven gave me a concerned glance. Before I could say anything, she spoke.

"Ez, what will you do after this?" Her voice echoed around the dark chamber.

"Go back to Piltover, like I always do." I said without a second thought. I caught myself afterward, immediately regretting my response. Riven wasn't looking for that kind of answer.

"Oh… Alright." She said, continuing her search.

I frowned, considering Riven's situation after this trip. Could I bring her back to Piltover? She belonged to no country now. I wish I could tell her something comforting, but without talking to the government of Piltover, I couldn't give her any real answers. Maybe I could use my political favors to get her citizenship, but that wouldn't be enough by itself. She would need protection from Noxus too. I decided to speak, but stopped, unsure what to say about it. I could bring her back and have her stay as a guest, at least for a while. Besides, what if the Institute wanted her back?

"What about this?" She asked me, holding a helmet carefully in her hands. A few dents told tales of past battles for the glory of the Noxian God of War. Otherwise, it was untarnished.

"That should work. We should probably head out, I'm not sure we can carry much more. I think we've gotten a good scope of artifacts from here, and it isn't like we can't come back…" I told her, feeling the need to say more to her, but unable to. It hung in the air like a fog.

"We could always come back." She responded, wrapping the helmet up in her pack and walking out with it. I reached to grab her hand, but she had already passed me. I glanced downward and walked on, making my way toward the surface.

The way home was quiet. The next night, after we had eaten, I set up the tent and glanced over at her, wondering what she was thinking. The silence; I couldn't take it anymore.

"Riven. I… want to bring you home with me. I want to stay with you; or offer you a place to stay. I just… don't know if the government will allow you to stay permanently." I told her, looking over at her in the dark. She stood up and moved over to me; the only light in the tent emanating from my amulet.

"I'm just unsure what to do. If I hadn't run into you out here…" She said, trailing off. I felt her hand caressing my face.

"I may be able to help you stay in Piltover, but my influence is limited." I told her, holding her hand.

Riven sighed, sounding somewhat conflicted, "Are we close enough for you to bring me back to Piltover as a guest, and to stay together? I suppose the League can take care of me well enough financially." She added as an aside.

"You don't have to, Riven. I know we haven't known each other for long, but I do feel close to you. You did save my life. If it had just been me fighting those shadows, I wouldn't have made it." I told her, hugging her.

She decided to crawl beside me, holding me close. Only wearing a loose shirt and panties, I ran my hand from her thigh to her waist.

"Just hold me, Ezreal. Even if it doesn't work out in Piltover, I'm glad to be here with you now, and to have ran into you." She said, cuddling against my chest, but was mindful of my bandage.

I smiled and kissed her lightly. I wanted more… but I was too sore and didn't want to force anything. Riven had closed her eyes, and being with her was more than enough.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Sanctuary

Riven and I had decided to keep walking during the night. Using my glove as a source of light, we eventually found our way to the star - rods on the edge of Piltover. Feeling the paved streets beneath my boots, I sighed.

"We're almost there. We may even beat the dawn." I told her, putting an arm around her waist. Unlike when I had come back from my last excursion, the night was clear. A half moon winked at us from between the sparse clouds, shining amongst the stars.

"Where do you live, Ezreal?" She asked, glancing around among the dimly lit suburbs of the city. Her high gaze told me she expected something rather extravagance; one of the taller buildings, perhaps.

"I live in Heimerdinger's Archive for now. It isn't much, but it has everything I need. Most of the time I'm out exploring anyway," I said, seeing it a few blocks down the road. I gestured to it, throwing a harmless beam of energy toward it.

"I can respect that. Before I came to the Institute, I got along with very little," she said. Her voice mixed with tones of hardiness from her military past and weariness from the length of the travels.

Nodding, I led her along the last few paces toward the archives, picking up the last few paces eagerly. Opening the door to the darkened room, I smiled, turning on the light.

"Welcome to my glorious abode." I said with a sweeping gesture. Sitting on the couch, I removed my backpack, carefully placing it on the table. Riven did the same with her things.

"I like it, Ez. I'm really glad to not have to carry this anymore though..." She said, putting her helmet beside it.

Tossing my jacket haphazardly onto an arm of the couch, I glanced at Riven with a mischievous, albeit tired, smile.

"Would you care to join me for a hot shower?" I asked, unbuttoning my shirt.

Riven stepped closer to me in response, finishing undoing my shirt, "which way?"

I removed my gauntlet, putting it carefully next to my backpack before taking her hand and leading her to the bathroom. Since the archive was originally designed only for one occasional inhabitant, the shower was small - a simple glass rectangle, really. Not that I minded.

"I guess it'll be cozy." Riven said. I kissed her chin, and knelt down, pulling her tight pants down, leaving a trail of kisses along her stomach and thigh. She moaned lightly, removing her bra. I stripped and stepped into the shower, letting the hot water wash over me before Riven followed me in, pressing her breasts against my chest. I switched places with her, letting the water fall over her head and shoulders.

I grabbed the bar of soap from the shelf, rubbing it in my hands, covering my arms in suds before switching places with her again, cleaning her back, neck, and shoulders.

"Hmmm, what do we have here?" She said, tracing a hand down my stomach, touching the tip of my erect member lightly before grasping the shaft, stroking me softly beneath the cascade of water.

"That's all your fault, Riven." I said, my tone loving despite my words. I brought my soapy hands around, covering her boobs and arms in suds, even teasing her a little by tickling her underarms. I circled her nipples with a few fingers, causing them to grow erect with my touch.

"Remember before our first time, at the waterfall? I couldn't stop thinking of you naked out there. If I hadn't made the tent face away from you, I might have run out to join you." I told her, moving my hands down lightly to wash her waist and ass.

"I knew you were looking at me the whole time before. I'm surprised you didn't spy on me... Or did you?" She asked, her voice drenched in joking suspicion. I moaned reactively as she slid her hand lower, playing with my balls gently; bouncing them in her hand.

"I didn't. But I really wanted to. Mmm, that feels good, Riv. I wonder what my friends will do when they find out. Janna and Jayce said they might stop by sometime this week," I shifted places with her again, handing her the soap so she could wash me instead.

"They were always nice to me in my matches. But let's not talk about them right now." She told me as I knelt down to wash her feet and calves. She ran her hands through my long hair, massaging my scalp. It felt divine. It was clear she was very disciplined; even with something as trivial as washing my hair, her control was nearly perfect. She wove her fingers through my blonde strands, and I felt the small calluses on her palm, tokens of her military service.

"I could get used to this…" I said, standing up after finishing washing her. I handed her the soap, "your turn."

Riven took it wordlessly, smiling to me and kneeling down. Her in that position in front of me made me hard. Well, harder than I was. She looked up at me while washing me between and around my legs.

"I suppose I should help you with this. But it'll have to wait until after we're all clean…" She said, rubbing her face against the head of my member lightly. She brushed her cheek against my shaft, and then pulled back a little. Her hands moved in swift circles over my legs and calves. I decided to massage her head like she had done to me - her hair was thick, reminding me a bit of my own. Her stark white hair was something I had never seen in Piltover. The women here always dyed their hair some outlandish neon color. Or, that was the style. But Riven's fit her well; I wouldn't want it any other way. I explored the top of her head lightly. I was surprised to find a few light scars there. I'm glad I got to watch after her now.

She stood up after finishing cleaning me. I embraced her tightly, whispering, "I love you, Riven."

"I love you too, Ez. I'm exhausted. Let's sleep." She said, turning off the water. We dried off and put on a new change of undergarments before walking over to the couch, crawling under the sheets together. The hardness between my legs made me desire more, but there would be plenty of time for that tomorrow, and I was as tired as Riven was after our long walk.

The sun woke me, like it always does. I caught myself glancing at the clock before realizing that I had a guest. I smiled, rubbing her arm softly.

She groaned before opening her eyes warmly, then she frowned.

"Ez… I hope maybe we can get a bed instead of a couch soon." she said.

"I'm just glad you're here. Let me give you a tour of the place," I told her. She sat up, her boobs bouncing lightly in the bra she wore. I gave her a mischievous look.

"Actually, maybe that can wait." I said, pulling the covers back and kissing her. She reacted eagerly, her legs and arms wrapping around me enthusiastically.

I shifted us around, so that I was under her, and I took off her bra. She adjusted herself to sit on one side of me before slipping off her panties, putting them next to my face with a grin. I smiled and slid my boxers off.

"Here, I want to try something…" I said. "Play with me first."

She obliged me, teasing my member from semi-erection with her hands. Straddling me, she moved upward, so that her slit was close to my balls. Reaching down, I teased her clit with my fingers, circling the nub of flesh. She cooed.

"Alright, now try rubbing my shaft with your lovely flower." I said, holding her hips strongly, moving her up and down along my member. Understanding, she looked into my eyes lustfully, spreading her pussy lips with her index and middle fingers before moving back and forth.

"Ez, this feels good. You're such a pervert; only you would think of this." She said, reaching the head of my cock, where she moved her hips in a circular motion, coating it in her love juices. She pulled back, rubbing her pussy against my balls for a few seconds before moving up again.

Our eyes locked. The light filtering through the partially open window reflected in her eyes and hair. She was beautiful, like always. I knew I had to do everything I could to find a place for her in Piltover.

"Ready?" She asked me, caressing my cheek. I nodded, and she adjusted herself, impaling herself on my cock. She was really wet; with only the barest bit of friction, she slid in all the way to my balls and started moving back and forth.

Ugh, I don't know if I could ever get used to that feeling. I didn't believe in the Gods, but Riven's vagina was like some sort of mythic creation. It hugged me in all the right ways, and I had no trouble finding her special spot in almost any position. Her ass bounced slightly as she fucked me. Drawing my hands upward, I trailed my fingertips gingerly over her nipple, eliciting a moan. From there, I traced along the veins in her neck, the line of her jaw, and then around her mouth teasingly. We slowed our pace, and I pushed in, holding myself against her spot for a few moments.

She kissed my fingers, sucking a few into her mouth lightly, circling them with her tongue. Riven pushed one of them out, just focusing on my index finger, suggestively suckling it.

I felt my balls tensing up under her, and I could feel her trembling as well.

I slid my finger out of her mouth, and she said, "Cum with me, Ez."

She groaned loudly, and together we sunk into the throes of passion together. My dick pulsated strongly inside of her as her walls shivered around my shaft. I faded into a dreamlike state.

The drops of sweat between Riven's breasts fell slowly, reflecting the sunlight like the scintillating facets of a cut gem. Somehow it felt like time had stopped, and Riven and I had left our bodies. Like I had touched her soul.

I drifted back into consciousness; Riven lie naked next to me, hugging me warmly. I loved all of her; it seemed like she belonged next to me. I could get used to her boobs rubbing against my arms and chest as we slept…

"I love you, Riv." I said, kissing her suddenly. She was a bit surprised, but reacted with passion.

"Here, let's get up and I'll introduce you to my friends."

Realizing she had no clean clothes, I decided to let her try on some of mine. We were actually about the same size, but my shirts were kind of short on her because of her assets, so she showed a little midriff. I tickled her there and she poked me.

"Stop, I'm ticklish." She said. I laughed and logged that away for later.

I held her hand, and together we walked out of the door, to greet Piltover as a couple for the first time.


	11. Epilogue

Epilogue: The Explorer and the Exile

I adjusted my tie. I hated wearing these things, but the green color matched Riven's dress, so I had to at least wear it through the pictures. Jayce seemed different entirely. He gave me that trademark smile and put a hand on my shoulder lightly, donning a tuxedo with long coattails, his own red tie supposedly matching Janna's dress.

I smiled and nodded back to him as he exited the restroom. I stared in the mirror, seeing a reflection of the high windows off to one side of the room. It was dark outside, but the light of the star rods and the neon signs from the decorations outside lit up the raindrops as they rolled down the glass. Rainy, like that first night before I left to find Riven. I sighed heavily. Could Riven really be happy here? It had been a few weeks since Heimerdinger and I were able to convince the council to give her both citizenship and sanctuary, and she seemed happy with me. Maybe it was just me, and my predilection toward negativity.

These summer balls always drew a crowd. I might as well have fun. Exploring could always wait.

Adjusting my hair in the mirror one last time before leaving, I pushed the door aside and stepped into the main room. Riven was waiting for me, looking beautiful in her green high-low style dress, showing off her lower legs and high heels. I went to hug her, having to lean up a bit to kiss her. Very unlike something Riven might have worn in Noxus. Or perhaps unlike something she might have worn before she had met me.

"You're taller than me in those, you know. Dancing could be awkward," I told her. Janna and Jayce looked over at us from the edge of the dance floor and gave a friendly wave before walking toward the entrance. Being the host and hostess, they had to do the honor of cutting the ribbon at the door.

"I'm not sure if I want to dance if Heimerdinger is the DJ," Riven said playfully, rubbing her nose against mine.

"Hey, his taste in music isn't that bad," I said, "or maybe I've just gotten used to it over the years."

I could hear the crowd near the entrance cheering as Janna and Jayce announced the beginning of the third annual Piltover ball.

Jayce rushed to the stage right afterward, taking the microphone from Heimerdinger, "Welcome, welcome everyone! But before we start, I'd like to say a few words…" He said, waving casually to the crowd, waiting for the cheers to die down. They all stood at attention, some quietly filing in still.

"When Janna and I decided to start doing this, at first we decided that it was simply an occasion to have some fun and take a break from the fighting and darkness of the outside world. On and off the Fields of Justice, we've both seen terrible things happen," He said, adopting a more serious tone.

"Before we started the second ball, we realized that we could use the proceeds to help out the underprivileged children of Piltover. A few of you may know what it's like to come from that kind of background, and how fortunate we are to be here at all. So here's to those kids," Jayce said, clapping and prompting a similar reaction from the audience.

I looked at Riven and stepped closer to her, putting an arm around her waist, kissing her on the neck. This was usually the part where Jayce invited a certain individual onto the floor who had donated the most to the cause of the underprivileged.

"Now. In keeping with tradition, we have to call one couple on the floor to start the dancing. We're doing things a little different this year. This year, there's someone we all know. He saved someone from a very bad situation, and brought an outsider into our fold. Ezreal, I hope you and Riven don't need a map to find the dance floor!" He said, gesturing to the center of the dance floor. The multicolored lights found Riven and I on the edge of the dance floor, and followed us as I nervously walked out onto the center of the slightly raised wooden platform. I hugged Riven close and the music started. A slow song.

"...Did you know about this?" I asked her. She blushed and nodded.

"Jayce made me swear not to tell," she said as we swayed back and forth.

"And Congratulations on being a new citizen of Piltover, Riven. You know; Noxians, we hate those guys," Jayce said jokingly. I groaned. A few in the crowd burst into laughter. Slowly, other couples were let onto the dance floor to dance with us. Janna walked up on stage and took Jayce's arm. The picturesque couple walked off the stage together and the crowd parted for them, letting them dance right next to us, as the music picked up in pace.

I gave Jayce a reluctant smile as he danced over next to me, "I'm going to have to get you back sometime for that Noxians joke."

Jayce just laughed like he always did. He was much more at home in the center of the dancefloor than I would ever be, the eyes of the other partygoers following him.

After an evening of dancing, punctuated by a few glasses of Piltover Red, Riven and I made our way out of the dance. We probably left too late to be considered 'cool' - Jayce and Janna had left fifteen minutes before - but we didn't care. Although the social scene in Piltover wasn't my home, with Riven next to me it didn't seem that bad. She even loosened my tie up for me after our first dance.

"Bye Ez! It was nice seeing you and Riven," Vi said as we walked toward the door. I gave her a friendly wave and then opened the door. Riven walked through it slowly, smiling as she passed me.

"Thanks, Ez. You're such a gentleman," She said. Riven's happiness never failed to bring a smile to my lips.

"Tonight was amazing, Riven. I'm really glad we met," I said, putting my hands on her hips and pulling her closer. I kissed her, glad it had stopped raining long before.

I considered telling her I loved her, but it seemed so unnecessary in that moment. We both knew that we were thinking it, and looking into her eyes was enough to communicate that. Wordlessly, we walked home together, ready to plan out our next trip together.


	12. Bonus Chapter 1: Snowdown

Bonus Chapter 1: Snowdown

2 Days until Snowdown

It had been a few months since Riven had successfully acquired her Piltovian citizenship, and Snowdown spirit filled the air. Piltover was perhaps the most iconic place to celebrate the holiday - Heimerdinger's extravagant display of hextech lights and Snowdown themed machinery drew crowds from all over Valoran. Friendly chats over hot cocoa were not uncommon between Demacian and Noxian summoners. It was a time when even the most patriotic could put aside national disputes and talk about what was common among them.

However, for all the peace and goodwill that seemed to drift down with the powdery snowflakes, things between Riven and myself were less than harmonious. It may be a surprise, given our story, but perhaps we merely took things too quickly. Not long after that dance, we had moved into a modest house of our own together, and were discussing taking things a step further.

Like nearly all conflicts in nearly all relationships, it started with something small. A minor disagreement. I wished to go out exploring more. One of the rooms in our new house was dedicated to my exploration. Large maps lined a wall, and various bookshelves displayed trophies from past expeditions. But Riven was reluctant to join me after a while. The first few, she had proven a valuable ally, as when I had first found her. However, afterward, she became very good friends with many fellow champions in Piltover and was increasingly hesitant to leave. It was more than merely this, though. Riven seemed a little too close to some of our friends. Was that a lingering stare at Caitlyn's skirt? Was it truly necessary for her to embrace Jayce so long after that dinner invitation?

I wasn't innocent myself. There were a few occasions that I had caught myself staring at Vi's breasts or backside. Her friendly manner and smiles didn't help either...

I sighed heavily, running fingers through my hair. In a somewhat desperate maneuver, I considered asking Riven to go on an outing with me back to that place where I found her. Perhaps we could bring a picnic dinner and dine under that waterfall again. Still, would she find that kind of thing romantic? After all, we had both nearly died there. Maybe it wasn't ideal date material.

A knock at the door interrupted my considerations. I knew it wasn't Riven, though. She was out for a jog and likely wouldn't be back until later. Walking over to the door, I was surprised to see Piltover's favorite reformed criminal, pink hair and all.

I smiled warmly.

"Hey, Ez. I got your mail for you," Vi said, holding up a small pile of envelopes.

"Thanks. Come on inside," I said, opening the door wide and gesturing behind me. I took the mail from her as she passed me. Her hands touched my own - rather rough and calloused, but still womanly, much like Riven's hands. I didn't linger on the thoughts.

"How are you doing?" I asked her. My body language suggested a hug. She obliged and then sat on the couch opposite me.

"Oh, I'm doing alright. What about you? Where is Riv?" she asked, looking around the house.

"She's out jogging. You know her," I said with a slight nod.

"Right, right. With Janna?" she asked. Immediately, my brows furrowed.

"With Janna?" I echoed, leaning forward on the couch a bit. I looked up, catching her staring at me. She seemed to blush at that. I wouldn't have noticed at all if not for the slight color on her cheeks.

Vi hesitated, as if bearing potentially troublesome news, "...Yeah, I saw her jogging with Janna a few times last week. I mean, they are pretty good friends…".

I nodded and said, "Right, makes sense," I forced myself to laugh slightly, attempting to convey to Vi that I didn't care that much. Vi's hesitant demeanor returned and she looked down, telling me that she probably didn't buy it.

I spoke up, "So! Did uh... Did you come over here for something else, or just to chat?" I asked. At this, Vi's eyes brightened and she nodded.

"Oh! Yeah, Cait and I are having dinner tonight, and we wanted to invite you and Riven. Cait's making her Snowdown Ham. It should be amazing," she said. As if an epiphany had occurred to her, she added, "Speaking of- I should probably get back to help her out. She'll be worried about me punching down walls or something, ha..."

Vi attempted the hearty laugh many knew her for, but she failed at making it genuine. I caught myself staring at her, now, and it was my turn to blush as she stood up.

"It was good having you over, Vi. We'll be by around six? Seven?" I asked, opening the door for her.

"Six thirty, I think. But feel free to come over at six if you want to help setting the table and such," she said. "...Actually, don't, Caitlyn will probably think it 'impolite to ask our guests to help with the chores'," she added, imitating Caitlyn's accent slightly. I found myself smiling sincerely, and went to hug her. She responded the same way, embracing back.

Vi was strong and tall, but in no way did it make her less feminine or alluring. It was common knowledge that Vi liked women, but there was less clarity concerning the degree to which that was true. Did she only like women? Why was she blushing earlier? I froze when I realized I was holding her close, and my lips had pressed against her cheek. She separated after that, and her usually confident outlook wavered.

"I... I'm sorry," I managed to say.

"It's alright, Ez. I'll see you later," she said with a dismissing, casual wave and a light smile, walking away. Turning around, I stepped back inside and closed the door.

I walked into the kitchen and poured myself a glass of Demacian Red Wine. It was a small one. I didn't want to get hammered, merely to take the edge off. I raised it to my own visage in the mirror and said, "To a very merry Snowdown," before draining it. My tone was far less than enthused.

The door opened just then, and Riven walked inside. She seemed upbeat, and looked sexy in her running outfit. I smiled at her.

"Hey, Ez," she said, hugging me. She gave me a quizzical glance when she spotted the wine, adding, "A little early for that, no?"

"Well, you know what they say. Six ounces of red wine a day could potentially be good for you," I said. Riven didn't press the issue any more, instead nodding and walking off to her room to change.

As I put the wine and glass away, I heard her from the next room, "Was that Vi I saw walking away?"

"Yeah, she invited us to dinner with her and Cait tonight. Six thirty," I said, listening to the sound of clothes being moved around in our closet.

"Sure, sounds good," she said, walking back in.

"Oh, you look great in that outfit," I said, looking her up and down. And who wouldn't, really? She wore a dark skirt, covering her to her mid thigh, and black leather, mid calf length boots. Her top was white, showing off just a bit of cleavage.

She smiled politely and said, "Thanks; Janna kind of helped me out with it."

I nodded back and said, "Look, Riven, there's been something I wanted to talk to you about."

As I sat next to her at the table, I could see that she was looking down - she knew what was coming and likely had something prepared to say.

"Do you remember the first place we met? And that waterfall? What if we took a trip back there, hmm? There's still more to explore around there, I'm sure," I said, putting a hand on her shoulder. Her only response was a sigh.

"Ez, I'm still trying to get things lined up for a job here. I think I have a strong possibility with the academy - they need someone skilled in metalwork, and I actually have a decent background there from when I did smithing in Noxus," she said. I nodded and separated from her, leaning against the wall.

"Alright. It's just, I haven't spent a lot of time with you recently..." I said, watching Riven get up.

"I know. But we'll get to spend time together tonight, right? That should be nice," she said, smiling. She gathered up a few documents, and strangely enough, her sword and the helmet she had been wearing when I first found her.

"Where are you going?" I asked. She smiled.

"I have to get to the academy. They wanted to see some of the work I had done in the past. I'll see you tonight, right?" She said, kissing my cheek as she passed me.

"Right. Six Thirty. Vi and Cait's. See you then. Good luck," I said, trying to sound excited for her. And just like that, the door was closing behind her. I found myself sighing and running a hand through my hair once again. I had stayed up late last night, and this morning's turn of events had proven less than entirely comforting. I took another small drink of wine and lie down, deciding that I couldn't worry about such things if I was asleep during a nap.

I awoke far later than expected; the clock face mocked me when its hands indicated it was well past four. I raised a brow. Had I really slept that long? On the positive side, I felt considerably less exhausted - physically, at least - then before. Perhaps it was the wine. Standing up slowly, I washed up before dressing for the cold weather outside. It was quite a walk to Vi and Caitlyn's house, but I had plenty of time.

I locked the door to the house, giving the simplistic snowdown decorations we had put outside of it a melancholy smile. I had to prop Riven up on my shoulders for her to put hextech, star shaped light over our window. It glowed softly, the decoration causing the innate light source to glow green on one half and red on the other. A small frosting of snow dusted the top of it, reminding me to adjust the scarf around my neck.

Turning my collar up against the chill breeze, I made my way down the street. The Yordle family in the neighborhood looked to be having a lot of fun in the snow of their front yard, and they all greeted me by name as I passed them. I pretended to shoot an essence flux at their kids for effect. They laughed at this, and one of them pretended to move faster in response, throwing snowballs at his siblings and parents.

It wouldn't be too long before I arrived outside of Caitlyn and Vi's house. It was larger than mine, but still modest. Caitlyn kept the outside and inside immaculate, although with Vi as the other inhabitant, it made that task a little more complicated than it would've been otherwise. I hesitated before I knocked on the door, recalling for a moment earlier that day when Vi had knocked on my door.

The door opened, and Vi greeted me with a smile. The awkwardness from our earlier encounter had faded. She was still wearing the same thing, except now there was a Snowdown red and white cone shaped hat on her head, flopping off to one side. I smiled at that.

"Hey, Ez. You're early. Riven got here just a few minutes ago. We're about ready," she said, putting a similar hat on my own head as I stepped inside. I shook my head in a playful manner, but decided to leave it there for the time being. It seemed that Riven had also been given one in a similar manner, which looked cute atop her white head of hair. Her back was turned, and she seemed to be helping Caitlyn in the kitchen with something.

"Hello, Ezreal," Caitlyn said without turning her back. Riven gave me a brief wave before bringing a large pan of mashed potatoes from the stove over to the table.

"Hey, Cait. How are you?" I asked. The table was mostly set already, with Caitlyn's famous snowdown ham as the centerpiece. She walked in after Riven, carrying the gravy in her delicate hands. It seemed that Vi had gotten to her as well - her usual top hat had been abandoned in place of Vi's floppy snowdown hats. She seemed no less ladylike for the change.

"Oh, I'm doing well. This year is surprisingly quiet at the Sheriff's office compared to past Snowdowns. I'm glad that you and Riven could join us," she said, nodding to me.

"Thanks for having us," I responded, smiling at Riven, who took a seat next to me. It was a small table. Understandable, since usually it was only for two. Vi sat to my left, and then Caitlyn sat opposite me, to Riven's right.

"Of course. Now, shall we...?" Caitlyn said. In keeping with Piltover tradition and etiquette, she, as the host, cut a small bite from the ham and ate it. She put down her fork and then waved to us all. Having not eaten since breakfast, I dug in. Vi was also seemingly enthused, making sure to secure her portion of the ham before anyone else.

As was expected, Caitlyn started the small talk.

"Riven, how is Piltover treating you?" she asked, cutting up her meat in deft motions.

Riven took a small drink before answering, "Very well. It's a lot friendlier than Noxus, that's for sure. It looks like I might also get a job at the Techmaturgical Academy."

Caitlyn nodded politely, "Oh, excellent. What would you be doing there?" she asked. I was happy to hear this as well. At least, part of me was. It was terribly ironic that Riven would be teaching or assisting in teaching at the same academy that I voluntarily dropped out of awhile back.

"Metalworking and smithing, most likely. One of the few non violent skills I learned in the Noxian service," she said. Caitlyn nodded.

Vi laughed a bit, "Good point, I don't think they'd like Noxian style brawling at the Academy. What about you, Ez? Have you been to any new places lately?"

I looked down, unsure how to answer that. Caitlyn and Vi were good friends of ours, and we often spoke to them about things like this. As such, I had nothing new to tell them, and I didn't want to repeat an old story.

"No, I haven't. I was talking to Riven about visiting the place I found her at, in the mountains. There were plenty of places tucked away in those caves that I'm sure haven't been seen for hundreds of years," I said. Riven frowned. It was only for a moment, but I'm sure Caitlyn and Vi noticed it. She stayed quiet, eating.

"It sounds like a lovely idea," Caitlyn said nonchalantly.

"I'm not really sure, Ez. It wasn't exactly the safest place," Riven said, giving me a sideways glance.

"Well, sure, but this time we won't have any Noxian soldiers following us," I said, forcing myself to smile.

"That wasn't the only reason, though. That altar wasn't free of hazards either. Remember the shadows? You were hurt badly..." Riven responded. She had a point, but was still skirting the issue. We wouldn't be going back to that place.

"We wouldn't have to go back there, though. We could go-" I said.

"Back to that waterfall? But Ezreal, I told you. I have to focus on things here," she said. Our voices had risen a bit at this point, and Vi and Caitlyn were glancing at each other uneasily. Vi's hat fell off her head as she looked down, regretting ever having brought the subject up now. Realizing it, she took the opportunity to speak up.

"My bad," Vi said, picking up the hat and adding, "I should probably get the pie anyway. It's ready, right Caitlyn?"

Caitlyn glanced at the clock on the wall and nodded in agreement. She stood up, "Yes, it should be ready."

Vi and Caitlyn both walked into the kitchen.

"This isn't really the place for us to talk about this, Ezreal," Riven said to me, trying to keep her voice down.

"But where is the place? You're never home anymore. Why does it feel so hard to talk to you lately?" I asked her. I tried to keep my cool, but I failed. I could tell as the words left my mouth; I sounded distraught.

"Don't you want me to fit in here? You brought me here, Ezreal. Let me settle in," she said, frowning.

I stopped myself from responding, unable to think of a response for now. Caitlyn walked back into the room and set the pie on the table.

The food so far was excellent, and I didn't want to detract further from the atmosphere. I helped cut the pie into relatively even, small slices, serving Riven first.

"Are you two going to Jayce and Janna's tomorrow? I think he's holding a dinner like usual, but after that he says that there's something special. Some kind of game? Who knows with them," Vi said. I was tentative about answering, and for a while the only sound was the sound of forks scraping against plates. Caitlyn's cooking was excellent, as always.

"Yeah, we should definitely be there," I said, avoiding Riven's gaze. She didn't say anything to indicate otherwise. For that, I was grateful. Even so, I'm not sure if she was going because I was. The party would've gone right along with her idea of fitting into the town. It wasn't a bad thing.

The rest of dinner passed quietly. Vi and Caitlyn did most of the talking, and eventually Riven, carrying her sword and helmet from earlier, and myself, found our way out the door after saying our thanks and farewells.

We started walking, and the cold silence between us rendered the tension as obvious as our breath, condensing in the air.

"I'm sorry," I managed after a while.

"Let's just... get through tomorrow. We can talk later," Riven said, still refusing to meet my gaze.

"How much space do you need, Riven? Am I really that hard for you to talk to?" I asked, unable to contain myself anymore.

"More," was her monosyllabic response.

"Alright. We'll just go tomorrow then, and talk afterward," I said, opening the door for her. She walked through, barely acknowledging me, and went toward the bedroom.

It was fairly common for Riven and I to not speak very much around bed time. I wasn't quite sure why. Sometimes, words simply weren't necessary to convey what we felt. We would hold each other and make love. On nights like this, we slept on opposite sides of the bed, facing away from each other.

Snowdown Eve

When I woke up the next morning, Riven wasn't beside me. I woke up later than I normally would have. It was obvious something was grating on me. The only times I slept this much were after long and arduous expeditions, or... if something was wrong. Merely putting aside the problem between her and I simply wasn't possible for me.

I assumed that I'd be meeting Riven at Jayce and Janna's estate later on. Often, there was a general banquet for much of Piltover's upper crust. After that, we would dismiss most of them and the champions would gather for drinks and discussion. I supposed that if Jayce had any kind of game planned, it would take place in the latter part of the evening. I wondered what he could really have planned.

I spent the day attempting to translate one of the books I found from ancient Noxian. I needed a task complex enough to distract me, and it proved to be as challenging as I expected. I had made my way through five or six dozen pages when the sun streaming through the windows reminded me of the time. Taking my time to dress nicely, in a white suit and tie, I made my way to downtown Piltover. The procession of hextech powered carriages (and even the occasional horsedrawn carriage in keeping with the season) served as a constant reminder that I was moving the right way. A few passersby stopped and offered me a ride. The weather was nice, so I politely waved them on and declined.

Unsurprisingly, Jayce and Janna, dressed in their finest, stood in front of the doors to greet their guests. Jayce and Janna's manor was one of the largest residences in the town, featuring a semicircular curved driveway for occasions such as this. An island at the center of the semicircle features a fountain, currently lit in traditional red and green colors. The trees and columns of the house were also decorated in a similar manner.

"Ezreal, looking good there! That suit reminds me of someone I know," Jayce said, adjusting the collar of his own white suit. I smiled at him before embracing him.

"So everyone's saying that you have something special planned for afterward. Is that true?" I asked him. I made my way over to hug Janna as well.

"Well... I told everyone to keep it secret. I guess that would mean that everyone knows now," Jayce said, laughing a bit. He gestured inside and added, "Find your way on back. There's a reserved seat for you."

I nodded politely, "Thanks. See you two soon," I said. Janna and Jayce gave me a wave in return, and then went back to enthusiastically greeting their guests.

Three tables filled the expansive dining room. Two long rectangular ones were closest to me as I entered, spaced evenly apart from each other. A few happy waves came my way from the people sitting at these - those I knew only tangentially. If they didn't know me as Ezreal, Prodigal Explorer and League Champion, they wouldn't have recognized me at all. At the back was a smaller, circular table reserved for champions. Jayce and Janna's empty chairs were clearly designated by the small name signs sitting on their plates. One that read 'Ezreal' had been placed meticulously in the center of a plate to the left, next to Vi's plate. I saw Riven there as well, seated next to Janna's chair. She was talking to Orianna, who sat on her left. I frowned, but said nothing. I half wondered if she had gotten there early just to change the name signs around.

While glancing at the fashionable and well placed green and red streamers that were placed along the crown molding, I gave Riven a small wave. She merely nodded in return.

"Hey, Ez!" I heard in a happy tone from Vi. As she stood up, I got the chance to examine her. As always, she had found a way to assert her own style and fit in with the formality of the occasion. A mid thigh length skirt and long boots seemed to fit well with the button up shirt, vest, and tie she wore. This time, she had abandoned the Snowdown hat. I embraced her.

"You know, I don't think I've ever seen you in a skirt before," I said, adding, "But you look nice."

She playfully punched me in the shoulder after we separated, "Come on, Ez, I can be a girl too sometimes. You look good."

I sat next to her after exchanging greetings with everyone else at the champion's table.

"This should be nice, yeah? So do you know what we're doing afterward, or...?" I asked Vi, taking a sip of water from the provided glass.

"Not really. But it should be fun. I wouldn't expect beer pong, though," Vi said, winking at me and taking her own sip of water. Janna and Jayce had returned to the table now, and Riven seemed entirely engrossed in a conversation with Janna.

A team of waiters waded between the tables, bringing dishes to all of the patrons. I thanked mine as he dropped off a steaming plate of roasted duck, rice and various vegetables. I was nearly afraid to eat it because of the artistic composition of the dish. Nonetheless, a tentative bite of the duck proved that it tasted even better than it looked.

"That's probably a fair bet... This is really good," I said, taking another bite. Vi nodded.

"Cait's is still better, I think," she said. The hair on the back of my neck rose up as I felt something pressing against my leg. Vi gave me a knowing smile. I felt a slight heat rise to my face, but I ultimately found myself emulating her behavior, rubbing my shin along hers.

I felt somewhat guilty. It was harmless, but even this slight action of showing affection toward another woman produced a new feeling. Anxiety. Nervousness. Lust. I found an excuse to slowly caress the outer curve of Vi's right thigh - at this, it was her turn to blush.

As the evening wore on, I felt myself looking forward to the after dinner game and toast. Our teasing and touching never escalated, though.

Riven and I's gaze barely met. Even so, we did smile at each other. Perhaps the space we were giving each other was doing us good. It wasn't long before full plates gave way to pieces of bone and crumbs, and uproarious conversation was replaced by soft chatter.

Jayce stood up, taking the microphone and saying, "Thanks for coming, everyone! And a very happy Snowdown to all."

A sizable section of the guests had already left, and the rest soon showed themselves out at Jayce's announcement.

He waited a few moments and gestured to the champions around him, "Well then. Shall we?" he asked, gesturing with gusto toward the entertaining room. We all followed him. There was another who joined us. Not a champion - someone I didn't recognize.

Janna gestured to a small circular island. A group of glasses ringed a full glass of wine. The as of yet unnamed stranger approached and started to pour out equal servings.

Jayce, Janna, Orianna, Caitlyn, Vi, myself, and Riven were all given glasses of Demacian red. The empty glasses had been for Corki and Heimerdinger, but they had dismissed themselves earlier due to prior engagements.

"And now for the favorite part of the evening. Friends, this is High Summoner Nicholas Terenius, a good friend of mine. He helped me set up for the entertainment. Now, I'm sure you all know that I planned something. Before I get to that, we should toast. To good friends," Jayce said, raising his glass. We all followed. The soft light of the dimmed star rods outside shined in through the windows, reflecting off of the wine and contrasting with the darkness of the night.

"To good friends," I said in response. A few others repeated it, and we all drank.

Jayce nodded, his hair shifting slightly, "Now. I've had Nick hide a vintage Demacian Vinyards dessert wine somewhere in the house. It's hidden, but don't expect it to be behind any floorboards or anything. Not in any drawers, either. Bookshelves and in closets are possibilities. The first one who finds it takes it home. But there's another aspect to the game. One of us will be the 'killer'. They already know who they are. However, they can't take anyone out of the game unless they're alone with them. We'll reconvene here in an hour and a half. Any questions? Nick will be here if you want more wine, and obviously he can't participate since he knows where the object is."

We looked among each other, nodding along with the explanation. When no one seemed to have any questions, Jayce waved to commence, and the crowd broke apart. The question now is who the killer was.

Vi waved me over as we all scattered throughout the dimly lit house. I smiled and walked over to her.

"So I don't suppose you're the killer," I said. She shook her head.

"No, I'm not. I don't think it's Caitlyn either," She responded. I formed my hands into an L shape and pretended to shoot her. She gasped and pretended to fall.

"Naw, it isn't me either," I said, offering her my hand as she got up. The manor's high ceilings and wooden floors added a strange resonance to everything we did and said. This added a strange tone of finality to all of our actions. We walked closer together than might have been acceptable.

"Where should we start?" I asked her. "I think we're going toward the guest bedroom now."

"It's as good a place as any," she said. I maintained a slow but calculated pace through the hallway, kneeling behind the many potted plants off to the side to see if a wine bottle was inconspicuously tucked away behind the fronds. Vi assisted, and more than once I caught myself staring at her ass as she bent over. Many of the male champions lewdly joked about how Vi had the finest ass in the league. Now I could understand why.

"Anything?" I asked her as she straightened up.

"Just a lot of nothing," She said, showing my her empty hands. She opened the door to the guest bedroom and we stepped inside.

Even the guest bedroom in this place was lavish and comfortable. The queen sized bed was well kept. A large hextech screen reflected the dim star rods of the room - one atop the bookshelf, another adjacent to the bathroom door.

I knew what Vi and I were both thinking now. Given the surroundings, it was inevitable. I felt those feelings from earlier at the table rising in me again, only exponentially more intense. My cock hardened in my pants. If Vi was similarly nervous, she didn't show it.

"Vi..." I said, walking up behind her as she knelt beside the bed, looking under it. I put a hand on her shoulder, and at this point my suspicions were confirmed - I could see the hairs on the back of her neck rise, but she did not flinch away.

She stood up and smiled at me.

"Are you sure you want this, Ez?" she asked me. I was a bit surprised at her bluntness. Then again, it was Vi…

"I wasn't sure you liked guys enough to consider it," I said, putting my hands on her hips. It was all I could do not to lift her up and push her down on the bed. For now, I settled for moving my hands underneath her vest, caressing her hips.

Vi laughed a bit, "Well, I didn't think Riven liked women that much, but I wouldn't be surprised if her and Janna were, well..." she winked at me. I frowned at this, removing one of my hands and running it through my hair. Had Vi been planning an opportunity like this for awhile? Was she right about Riven? I guess they had been spending a lot of time together lately.

"Are you sure that they're...?" I asked, still skeptical. Vi nodded.

"I'm sure. I'd know, of all people..." she said, watching my reaction. I was fairly transparent, my anxiety and lust momentarily disappearing to be replaced by annoyance or anger.

"Ez, I don't do revenge fucks. Even preemptive ones. I just want you to want me," she said.

"Oh, I do want you," I said warmly, embracing her and caressing the soft skin of her neck with my lips. The cute, vulnerable noises she made beneath my hands betrayed her tough, macho demeanor.

Vi's hands moved quickly, removing my coat, her vest, and the belt of her skirt and putting them on the bed.

"...Wait," she said, stepping away from me just long enough to lock the door. I nodded at her thoughtfulness.

She quickly skipped back over to me, removing her boots and shirt now. I had made more progress, now only wearing my boxers. My cock pressed against the inside of the cloth, and Vi gave me a lewd smile, showing off her breasts as she lifted her bra over her head. My hands found them not long after, slipping over her taut curves and teasing her nipples. They weren't as big as Riven's, but they were more spherical and perky, pressing against my body and hands with an elated lust.

The rough skin of Vi's hands pressed against my sensitive head. For being mostly lesbian, she knew how to handle a man. Her hands were surprisingly gentle considering that she had them in large machine fists on the Fields of Justice. She caressed my balls, playfully hefting them and just teasing the skin around them with her nails. I moaned in pleasure, knowing I had to kiss her.

Her eyes sparked with lust as we moved over to the bed, and she slipped her tongue along the top of my own, her own moans causing wet vibrations. She knew what she wanted - pushing me down and straddling me. Her panties had long been on the floor, leaving her in only her skirt, now pushed up around her waist, partially folded up over itself.

"Mmmm, we should've done this before. I think I'll have fun with this..." She said, sliding my boxers off and stroking my shaft playfully, thumbing the head just slightly. Her warm, wet folds leaked with arousal on my upper thigh. Her glorious orbs floated just above my face as she leaned over me, moving her hips back and forth, lubricating my cock with her pussy. A playful tongue found Vi's nipple as she moved back and forth, causing her to illicit more adorable sounds - vocalized pleasure. I dug my fingers into the luscious curves of her ass, moving her back and forth before I slowed down on purpose, bringing one hand around to stimulate her clit. Her gasp told me she wasn't quite expecting the pleasure as I pressed against it in a circular motion.

The fluid motion of her hips stopped temporarily as she fought to regain control against the arousal.

"Fuck me, Ez," she said, lifting herself up and impaling herself on my shaft. I could feel her tightness around me, and her face also confirmed this fact. Even so, eventually I slid inside of her fully. The sexual tension from before, our playing at the table, and our early touching had made sure that she was plenty wet. Lewd sounds of our fucking and the wetness against my inner thighs and balls made it even more apparent. I could tell this probably wouldn't be a long fuck - our fantasies had heightened our arousal to nearly unmanageable levels already.

She oscillated her hips as we fucked, finding an angle that worked best for her. I gave her a firm spank as she brought herself down, causing a whimper of pleasure and pain. She looked into my eyes, and I locked into her gaze gladly, enjoying the lust in her eyes almost as much as the other sensations.

When Vi adjusted herself once more, I found myself suddenly close to orgasm. Vi's tightness and curves were too much, and I said, "Vi, I'm..." I felt her love juices leak out all over me as her pussy quivered in pleasure, and she arched her back in pleasure. I was barely able to contain myself as she climaxed around my shaft. After a few moments and a heavy breath or two, Vi pulled herself off of my cock and smiled at me flirtatiously, pushing her breasts against the base of my shaft.

"I'm glad you didn't. I want to taste you..." she said, pushing her spherical tits around my cock, sliding up and down. At first, she playfully kissed around the head, enjoying the precum against her soft lips.

"You're heavenly, Vi. Now I wonder why you prefer women," I said, drawing my fingers through her hair. She laughed a bit and winked at me. The eyeliner she wore accented her eyes beautifully.

"Guys are alright sometimes," she said before sliding most of my cock into her mouth, teasing my glans with her tongue. I tensed up in pleasure, my hands gripping her hair tighter. As her tight throat encircled the head, I released. The sensation was too much. She groaned in pleasure, moving so that she could swallow my load.

She slowly moved her mouth off of my member, her tongue swirling around it to clean it. It left her mouth with a popping sound, and then she gave the tip a kiss for good measure.

I smiled at her and kissed her one more time. I made sure to drink in the details of the scene for my memory; our naked bodies pressing against each other, the way our kiss tasted like both of our essences, and that lustful, knowing look we shared.

We didn't spend long cuddling afterward, knowing that we were expected back around the table. Hopefully someone had found the wine. Personally, I thought my time was better spent. Vi's lascivious glances as we dressed and walked outside told me I was probably right.

Still, having to face Riven made me uneasy. It was expected, but I wasn't nervous about her finding out. Instead I wondered if she had done the same thing, and if we could talk about it.

We happened back into the kitchen to find a yawning Nick. I waved to him.

"Hey, would you mind pouring me another glass. Just a small one," I said. He nodded.

"Of course," he said, obliging me. He handed me the glass, and I took it, just as Vi subtly nudged my side while picking up a glass of her own. I looked up to see Janna and Riven walking back together. Vi was right.

Their shared glances were far too similar to the ones I had been sharing with Vi, and Janna's normally immaculate hair was slightly disheveled. I gave Riven a friendly smile. Her look back said curious and somewhat skeptical. I noticed the wine bottle in her arms.

"Nice job, babe," I said. She nodded.

"Janna may have dropped a hint," she responded. Janna and her shared a smile.

I allowed myself a light laugh.

The other champions filtered in shortly afterward.

"Well, Nick. You did a good job, making sure the newcomer could find it," Jayce said, playfully looking at Riven, "We'll see about doing this next year. I enjoyed it."

Everyone else nodded, seeming to agree. The concept was certainly intriguing.

"Alright, well... Janna and I should probably get to bed. It is Snowdown tomorrow. Happy Snowdown to you all. Enjoy!" He said. We all walked toward the door, exchanging goodbyes with everyone before setting out.

As Vi and I hugged our goodbyes, I whispered, "I think you were right. Depending on how things go, we may be doing that again very soon…"

"I'm sure talking to her won't be that hard, Ez. You aren't engaged, I wouldn't worry too much," She said, giving me another wink as we separated. I waved goodbye, and Riven and I walked home.

The others were talking and laughing boisterously as they left the house, giving us the excuse to not talk to each other until we could make certain it was quiet enough.

"Well. That was fun. I think I read something about that game in a murder mystery once," I said, looking at the bottle, "So, how old is that thing?"

"Hmmm," she said, looking at the faded label for a moment, "Definitely a vintage. It looks like its eighty three."

"We'll have to share that later sometime. Maybe we can steal Caitlyn's pie recipe and have it with that," I said. Riven nodded, but it seemed insincere, or at least hinted that she was truly focused on something else.

I decided not to press it, and we didn't talk again until we were inside the house.

She stopped me, putting the wine down on a random desk in a front room.

"Look, Ez. I think we both did something that-" she said, looking down, unsure how to continue.

"I fucked Vi," I said simply, seeing no reason to beat around the bush. Riven's face grew red, and so did my own. From embarrassment or anger, I wasn't sure.

"...Janna," she responded.

"How was that?" I asked, attempting a tone of nonchalant curiosity.

"I liked it, but being with another woman is rather confusing sometimes. Chaotic," she said.

I let her words hang in the air for a while, leaning against the door.

"And Vi?" she asked.

"She was nice. You're more her usual type though," I said, smiling a bit.

We both allowed ourselves a strained laugh and sigh.

"There's something wrong with us," she said.

I nodded, "We just need to talk more, Riven. But it's so hard to speak to you when you push me away. I was a little selfish to expect you not to want to flourish and fit in here. I'm sorry," I said. It was a reasonable response. I could only hope for a similar one from Riven. Her pacing and handholding told me of her inner conflict.

"I know. I'm sorry too. I'll try to consider making more time for you. We should sleep, Ez. Maybe not together, though, since we kind of..." she said, looking down again.

"I can take the couch if you want," she offered. I shook my head.

"That's understandable. And no, I'll be fine," I said, removing my shoes and sitting on the couch. We managed tentative hugs before separating for bed.

Snowdown

Strangely enough for me, I woke up early the next day. Perhaps the excitement of Snowdown day I had as a child lingered on, and I was excited to rush and find out what presents awaited me under the tree. Instead, I took my time, taking a shower and getting dressed before walking into the living room. The decorated tree greeted me.

"Hey, Riven?" I asked, looking around. I did a double take as I glanced under the tree. A huge grin spread across my face as I saw her wave at me, lying in front of the tree.

She lay on her side in a traditional model pose. Her hair was done, and she was made up, wearing red lipstick. She was almost entirely naked - her luscious curves broken only by a thin strip of ribbon across her breasts. The material was barely wide enough to conceal her nipples. A bow was tied neatly between them. She also wore a sexy pair of heels, the straps caressing her shapely ankles and lower calves.

"Happy Snowdown, Ezreal. Come untie your best present," she said.


	13. Bonus Chapter 2: Harmony

Bonus Chapter 2: Harmony

The persistent sound of a hammer pinging against metal told me I had arrived in the right place. Riven had taken quite a liking to working at the techmaturgical academy's forge. It was old school by their standards, but sometimes even the most forward-thinking of inventors needed a well made piece of steel.

The forge itself was built outside. A minimalistic brick structure served to protect it from the rain, but the general lack of walls was necessary for ventilation. I leaned against one of the columns, waiting for Riven to notice me. Briefly, I considered a word or two, but there was no urgency. The goggles she wore and the sounds of the hammer and anvil had focused her. I had seen her like this before - in combat. Tense, practiced strokes of her hammer punctuated with calculated adjustments of the steel from her other gloved hand made sure her work went exactly as pictured in her mind. It seemed to me like she was shaping a sword.

It wasn't my area of expertise, but I knew a few things about the anatomy of the weapon. The blade Riven was shaping looked a lot like her broken blade. I could see that she had shaped the curve profile and single leading edge of the weapon. The long tang indicated flexibility in the number of hands that could be used to wield it. Unlike her old weapon, she had opted for a slimmer and more graceful profile.

She must've caught sight of my reflection in the side of the blade, because she smiled and looked up at me. The brightness of her teeth matched the color of her hair, contrasting heavily with her tanned and soot stained skin. I took a few enthusiastic steps toward her and gave her a kiss.

She kissed me back passionately - the same passion she used to shape all of her actions. Her gloved hands pulled warmly on my back, leather against leather. She wanted me close, and I needed no invitation to draw closer to her.

Riven separated with a slight laugh and said, "Why didn't you say something sooner?"

"You seemed very focused; I didn't want to interrupt. Besides, I like watching you work. Are you making a new sword?" I asked, gesturing to her work in progress, now lying across the pitted face of the anvil.

"Yes. I thought it would help me leave my old life behind. I'll write my own name on the side in runes, instead of the doctrines of the Noxian military," She said. She stepped back to pick up the unfinished blade and ran a finger along the side.

"I'm glad you've found a place here, Riv," I replied, lacing my fingers through the fingers of her free hand. She smiled and put her work back on the anvil.

"Let me clean up and put this away, then I can walk back home with you," she said, giving me a peck on the cheek.

The walk home was cold, but scenic. Melting snow still covered the fringes of the streets and strategically placed decorative plants, but the break in the clouds and reaching rays of the sun seemed to invite them to come out of that frozen shell.

"Riven, you know Sona, right?" I asked her. She looked at me with a warm smile from the scenery and nodded.

"She's adorable. I know her. She was so friendly with me when I was new…" Riven said, looking off into the middle distance again. I could only assume she was recalling their meeting.

"Her and I are good friends, and she's coming here tomorrow on one of her tours. Would you like to go to her show? I don't know if you like that kind of music, but-" I said. Riven's tight embrace interrupted me.

"I'll take that as a yes. I told her that you and I were a couple, and she sent two tickets and backstage passes," I continued, kissing her neck lightly. We separated and continued onward soon afterward.

"That would be so fun! I could use a break from work, honestly," she said. I laughed a bit.

"I noticed," I said with a wink. Riv gave me a playful punch in the arm.

I opened the door for her when we arrived at the house and gestured inside. Riven nodded in appreciation and stepped inside, sprawling across the couch luxuriously. I closed the door behind myself as I stepped inside.

"So, you two are good friends? Did you used to be close?" Riven asked. Her tone was interrogative, as was her gesture of examining her nails. The corners of her mouth curling into a mischievous smile, however, betrayed her.

Even knowing her rouse, I still blushed, "We… Yes. We were."

"I knew it! I can't even blame you though. How was she?" Riven asked, sitting up excitedly. She glanced at me and put a hand on my arm.

"It was nothing like that. I won't deny that I wanted to, but she's pretty shy, so we only ever kissed. That was nice though. Something about being able to talk to her through her mind while kissing made it very special," I explained honestly, recalling that occasion. The first time had been after one of our matches.

"Hmm. Do you think she likes women?" Riven asked. I raised a brow.

"I don't know - probably. Talking with her gave me the impression that she didn't discriminate sexually," I explained.

"The question then is: does she like both at the same time?" Riven asked. I shook my head.

"Stop, you're turning me on. But the answer again, is likely yes. Even so, she's shy. You know Sona," I said, guessing what she had in mind.

"She just needs a woman's touch," Riven elucidated, her mischievous smile returning. The ideas Riven was giving me had me noticeably aroused, so I took the opportunity to stretch and remove my jacket, putting it on the arm of our couch before sitting next to her.

I nodded in agreement and said, "Whatever happens, you definitely won't hear any complaints from me. What should we wear tomorrow? Something matching? Do you have a white dress?"

Riven responded with a contemplative frown and stood up, walking into our room. I followed her into our closet. Even in her modest work pants, her figure was obvious and alluring.

"You were thinking of wearing this, yeah? It does look good on you," she said, pulling on the sleeve of my white suit, causing it to swing out of line with the rest of the clothes by the hanger. I nodded.

"Thanks, Riv. What if you wore this? I'm sure you could find a skirt to match" I asked, tapping a white corset with a finger.

Riven smiled and pushed it back with the other clothes, "That looks good. I'll surprise you tomorrow. Well... you and Sona," she said, winking at me, "We should sleep though."

I nodded and stepped closer to her, pushing her against the back of the closet door, "I have something in mind that you could wear tonight, though."

My lips eagerly found her neck, and she whispered back, "Ooh. What's that?"

"Come with me, and I'll put them on you," I said. My mouth travelled upward to her earlobe and I pulled it into my mouth, sucking it between my teeth. Riven shivered.

"S-sure," she said, kissing me back and opening the door for us. I picked her up - with some difficulty; Riven was a muscular woman - and managed to lay her down on our bed.

I said nothing because nothing was necessary. Instead I straddled her, my thighs hugging hers in place as my hands slowly dragged her shirt upward, from the hem and over her head. She moved with me, lifting her arms above her head and letting me undress her.

All I could see were her eyes; soft hazel colored pools that conveyed so much. In other moments - determination, loyalty, and righteous indignation; but in this one - trust, warmth, and vulnerability. They were half closed now.

There was no resistance from her. She made it clear she enjoyed being controlled like this. My fingernails left light trails against her tan flesh as I pulled her pants slowly over her curves, exposing her to the air. The half light illuminated the rapidly appearing goosebumps on her skin.

Wanting to be fair minded, I undressed myself in short order and with much less ceremony. I stood up and put my clothes aside, retrieving my gift for her.

Every inch of Riven's body was beautiful, but I had more than an expected amount of curiosity and fascination with her feet. Before her and I became close, I had never really considered it. Being with her made me want to explore more aspects of her. So I knelt at the bottom of the bed, holding a pair of thigh high white stockings.

Her toes curled in anticipation as I kissed the top of her feet, a little surprised by the attention there. My fingernails trailed down her calves and ankles until they caressed her soles, and I stretched the openings for the socks and put them over her toes, again tracing the curves of her leg - this time in the other direction, as I put them on.

"What do you think? They match your hair," I said in a whisper, leaning over her. My lips hovered inches from her own.

"I like them, but… I didn't know you were into that kind of thing," Riven said.

She gave me a mischievous glance before looking down. I saw a spark in her eyes and she pushed me back with her feet, asserting control. She didn't want to push me too far, stopping when I was in a sitting position in front of her.

The soft pressure of her covered feet against my stomach and thigh made my cock twitch. I was already aroused, but now it was nearly painful.

"Is this what you wanted?" Riven said, leaving her mouth partially open in expectant pleasure after the last syllable parted her lips. The tip of her toenail, felt through the thin cloth, traced a path from my inner thigh to just above my cock. She put both of the soles of her feet on either side of my shaft gently, as if she was unsure what would happen, and started to slide them up and down.

"Mmmm," I moaned involuntarily, lightly touching her calves. She curled the toes of her left foot over the head of my member and held it there. Her other foot found the base of my cock and sensitive side of my balls, moving up and down.

"Hmm… This is hard to do," she admitted with a smile. I laughed a bit.

"I guess it would take some getting used to. It feels amazing though," I said, looking between her eyes and feet.

I closed my eyes in pleasure and felt the wetness of my precum on Riven's socks, which she quickly made use of and rubbed against my shaft. The tenseness in my glans told me I wouldn't last much longer.

Riven pushed herself forward with her hands, increasing the pace of her ministrations. She angled her feet toward her pussy. Apparently the action between us hadn't only aroused me - her slit was glistening, and she brought a hand down to stimulate her clit, moaning slightly.

"Ez, cum for me!" She said, the pitch of her voice strained in pleasure.

I was already part way there when she had started talking, and with a groan, I painted her pussy, stomach, and inner thighs with a few streams of cum. The rest leaked onto her feet. She smiled at me and gave me a teasing rub with her toes before pulling away.

I hugged her close and kissed her passionately. There was no teasing here; no sliding my tongue against her teeth. She slid her tongue against mine immediately, and they writhed in passion; embedded in the sonic muffle of our moans.

The cold feeling of my cum between our skin as we embraced was electrifying. I made sure to put my thigh between Riven's leg, putting my hands under her back and moving her up and down. Despite the coldness of my juices exposed to the air, Riven's pussy was hot - her warm arousal stained the skin of my thigh.

I separated from her just enough to speak and said, "Now let me take care of you…" My lips touch her nose in a gentle kiss before descending her body - tasting my cum on her skin as I do - and reach her inner thighs. The light pressure of her legs on my back, and that of her stocking covered thighs against my cheeks and neck ensures me that for now, I belong here. With Riven. Whether that's between her legs, or sitting next to her at dinner, or walking through some cave together…

Her nails run through my hair and over my scalp, and I enter that state of hyper awareness due to arousal - all I can think of is Riven. I know that her nails running through my hair are painted a simple white. I know the wetness of her against my tongue as I slide it broadly over her folds. I forego my sense of sight - my lashes brushing downward against the skin near her pussy - and plunge my tongue into her firmly, making sure to taste all of her. It had been a while since I had explored her with my tongue.

She was already close, but the oscillation of my tongue against her nether lips brought her right to the edge. Riven screamed in pleasure before falling over, and I felt her wetness leak out against my face and chin.

She breathed heavily, her short white hair fanning behind her on the pillow. When I wiped my face off and lay next to her, she smiled at me and we embraced.

"I love you, Riven," I said, kissing her. She returned it with a brief pucker of her lips. Sweat had dripped from her face to flavor our kiss.

"I love you too, Ezreal."

The next day went by at an agonizingly slow pace. It seemed like we spent it all waiting in line to get into the venue. Having Riven close to me at times like this made everything better. Normally I got quite a bit of attention in crowds of Piltovian citizens. I still got the occasional greeting, but it was obvious that the eyes of most of the men - and some of the women - were on Riven. And I couldn't blame them.

White was her color, as it had always been. She had decided to don a black long sleeved shirt and black 'gladiator' style heels to accentuate her white hair, corset, and miniskirt. Winged black eyeliner completed the very enticing ensemble.

Thankfully, once we drew closer, we arrived in a separate line for those holding VIP tickets like Riven and myself. I straightened my tie before entering the building, unsure what to expect.

The VIP line was a refreshing change of pace from the other line - there weren't any people wearing imitation Sona wigs, or carrying fake etwahls, for one. It wasn't long before a few men in uniforms let Riven and I in the side door to the stage.

I opened my mouth to thank the man, but he interrupted me in a monotonous voice, "You'll also be able to see her after the show. Don't worry."

I gave him a half wave and continued inside. The room was fairly small, and felt crowded even with only twenty or so visitors inside. Sona sat on a small, elevated chair near the front of the room, talking with those who had recently entered. The staff had taken the opportunity to convert the room into an impromptu museum - many variations of Sona's etwahl lay on tables for her fans to look at.

Of course, they were all more interested in Sona herself. I could see why.

I had always thought Sona a beautiful woman. Her new suit was surprisingly flattering. It covered her body, but honestly didn't leave much to the imagination. White, black, and purple latex hugged her curvaceous, busty form seductively. The helmet she held at her side seemed to have some sort of screen on it that covered her upper face.

I knew that Sona couldn't speak - she had to communicate through her mind, by touching people. No other backstage meeting would have been this quiet. It seems that one of her fans was speaking for her to all the others, holding Sona's fragile, gloved hand.

"I'm so glad that you've all come. I never expected such a warm reception so far from home, honestly. Alas, your kindness and support has proven my expectations incorrect. Ezreal - What?" Her speaker said, looking up at Riven and myself. I smiled and waved at the crowd. Riven joined me as we approached.

Sona nodded her thanks to her speaker and let go of her hand, instead stepping toward us and extending a hand to each of us. We took it and smiled.

' _It's so nice to see both of you here… and together,'_ Sona spoke to us telepathically. Her voice was like a song in our minds, free from the confines of physical acoustics. She smiled warmly at us.

' _I wish you would've known how happy I was when Ez told me you invited us both. Thanks, Sona. It's good to see you again,'_ Riven communicated back. I nodded as well, stepping slightly closer to the Maven and offering her a hug. Riven followed my lead, and we both hugged her. Her soft form, encased in her suit, yielded pleasantly against us.

' _I'd like to see both of you more, after the show. We can talk without the crowd. For now, I must get back to my fans. I wouldn't want to show too much favoritism,'_ She said, and we heard a lovely laugh through our mental bond. Sona gave us both a half bow before stepping away, back toward the crowd. I gave her a similar nod in return, taking Riven's hand and walking over to one of the tables.

Apparently her newest instrument was also here. It was massive, and the way they had mixed traditional instrumentation with the hextech machinery here was-

"Easy there, Ez. I don't think drool mixes well with techmaturgy," Riven said, winking at me. I smiled and stepped back.

"I think that went well - I wasn't expecting an invitation of any kind," She continued, leading me by the hand out of the room toward the area just in front of the stage.

"Ezreal," said one of the attendants at the door. I stopped and gave him a raised brow.

"You're going to want these," he said, handing me two pairs of adjustable ear muffs. I nodded and took them, giving one to Riven. She glanced at the speakers and nodded to me, sliding them over her hair. Somehow, they made her look even more adorable.

The sound - and feel - of the booming bass from the speakers so near me broke my concentration on Riven, and the voice of one of her assistants came through.

"Have you ever felt a connection you couldn't explain? Perhaps only feel? I hope we all make one here. Feel the energy flowing through the crowd… feel it flowing through me… I hope to feel it across all of Valoran," She said, and the swirling synths of her recognized 'Kinetic' tune brought the crowd into a flurry of motion.

Equally enchanting lights dances in the darkness around us, and I glanced to Riven, already swaying with the beat. Swimming in sound, I managed to make the short distance to her, holding her hands and swaying with her; lost in a sea of emotion and light. So close to me, her skin against me. Ghosts beyond the coruscant fog behind her. Primal movement, sweat, energy.

Her lips caress mine. The curves of her body oscillate with the music and our forms become one. Sweat mixes with movement, sound, and rhythm. I can feel Riven, and beyond her I can see Sona. Her etwahl is an altar, and she is an angel. The shifting rainbow strands of her hair fan behind her like ethereal wings, pulsating with the notes of her songs. Riven's eyes move there as well, and now the music shifts.

The vibrant greens and teals of the lights and fog are slowly replaced by calm violet, and now Riven and I dance slowly with each other. My hands find that familiar, comfortable place around her waist, and I enjoy the pressure of her wrists against my shoulders as she laces her fingers together, playing with the bottom of my hair.

The energetic river of ghostly forms beyond the scintillating shroud calms, drifting instead of jumping to and fro. I enjoy the intimacy of Riven's gaze. It's impossible to describe eyes accurately in one word, and somehow among all of the motion I'm able to make out the marbling of green, brown, red, and grey in her irises. In the center, the black mirrors of her pupils reflect my face and the violet of the room around us.

Time passes in a haze of joyful melody, and the crowd ebbs into relaxed circles of conversation in the back of the room. The music fades, and lines start forming to leave or buy souvenirs at the impromptu gift shop near the back of the hall.

After all of the dancing I had undone the top button of my shirt, and Riven had loosened my tie with a playful tug. The waning crowd made it easier for us to reach the door we had left before the show started. Removing the headphones from my ears made the slight creaking of the doorknob in my hand so much more apparent. I pulled back, running a hand through my hair. The sweat from dancing probably hadn't been terribly kind to my appearance. I glanced at Riven - she looked as gorgeous as always. My hand travelled toward the door again, but was interrupted by hers.

"A woman's touch, remember?" She said, lacing her fingers through my own and opening the door.

The room was empty of all of the displays, instruments, and equipment from earlier - apparently Sona's assistants had already moved it out. She remained, however. Her helmet had been removed, reflecting a mostly full bottle of wine on the table in front of it. Sona smiled as she saw us enter and gave us a dainty wave with her now bare hands.

Riven mirrored her expression and shut the door behind us, and we approached to take a seat on either side of the Maven of Strings. Her graceful fingers found ours - it was her way of greeting us.

' _Perfect timing. It seems like you two were enjoying yourselves on the dance floor. Would you care for a drink?'_ She asked.

' _Sure,'_ I looked at Riven to see if she had the same thoughts. Her free hand reached for an empty glass from the table, so there was no need for her to nod to me in response - but she did clink her glass against mine with a lusty wink.

Speaking to each other through Sona's mental link was unlike anything I'd done before. She wasn't reading my thoughts, merely acting as a psychic conduit for all of our words and communications.

' _So what did you think of the show?'_ Sona asked us.

' _Your music is inspirational. That's one of my favorite parts of belonging to Piltover now - the music is so refreshing. Energetic, and tranquil...'_ Riven stated, taking a long swig of her wine before setting it down on the burnished wood of the table. Then I saw through Sona's mind a picture of Riven and I dancing from Riven's perspective - it was much the same as I remember it, but there was an additional degree of fascination. She had been focused on me as I had been focused on her, but she seemed to be engrossed by the sounds more than the sights.

' _I've been to a few concerts before, but none like this,'_ I say, glancing between Sona and Riven.

' _I'm glad I could make your transition into life in Piltover more comfortable, Riven - and it's good to see you too, Ezreal. Is there anything else I can help you with?'_ She communicated to us, letting go of Riven's hand just briefly to take another sip of the reddish fluid in her glass.

Not waiting until Sona's hand was ready to be held again, Riven reached out to put a hand on Sona's thigh, causing her lips to part in silent surprise.

' _There was something else. Ezreal told me that you kissed him before. I want to kiss you too. It's only fair,'_ I heard Riven's voice echo in our minds - gentle and suggestive. Sona put her glass down, and her look of surprise shifted into a gentle smile. Her gaze turned toward Riven.

' _You're very beautiful, Riven. I don't know if that would be okay. I wouldn't want to cause a rift between you and Ez...'_ She responded, looking back at me. I shrugged out of my coat and gently lifted it to the arm of the couch, hugging against her back. The hardness of my form against her curves made her happy - I could tell simply from the contact with her mind. Still, her hands were frozen in place.

' _Kiss her, Sona,'_ I encouraged, nuzzling my cheek and nose against the side of her face; blonde mingling with the rainbow of her hair. I felt Sona's reaction more than heard it in our minds - she became aware of my smell. It wasn't bad, just more pronounced as I had been sweating on the dancefloor. Riven was the same way. She smelled more like herself.

Sona managed the most subtle of nods and put her glass down on the table, hesitating before moving toward Riven. I saw her eyelashes flutter, and the tinge of red in her cheeks as her profile turned away from me and toward the Exile. Because of my vantage point, I couldn't see them kiss, but I didn't need to. Through Sona's connection, I could feel their kiss. I wouldn't consider myself to have a rough face, but the softness that I experienced when Riven kissed Sona made me feel more like Darius or Garen in comparison.

The grace of the Maven of Strings' fingertips coaxed me toward them both, and soon I found my own hands relieving us of our clothes. The contrast between Riven's taut, hard body and Sona's curvaceous form teased me to arousal shortly. We shared kisses, even attempting a three way one, although it ended it awkward laughs. My gaze followed my fingertips southward, putting an arm around each of them. I had no need for my vision any longer, and I closed my eyes and let my mind drift into Sona's psyche. Soon enough, I found Riven there as well. The soft music still emanating from Sona's Etwahl on the not-too-distant stage provided a tranquil backdrop to our exploration and bonding.

Riven was passion. The color red, pouring passion into everything she did. Whether it was swinging a sword, forging one, killing an enemy, or expressing her love and lust. The fire of the forge burned in her heart, guiding her actions.

Sona was tranquility; a shimmering purple that spread gentle tendrils of color into us. She saw the world as an ever-fascinating place to live in. One force is present in us all - Sona sung about this, more than anything else. She found that energy in all of her actions. On the stage, or between Riven and I.

I became a spirit of electric blue. Even here, I could feel the draw of the sorcery and wanderlust in my blood. Discovering new things would always be a part of who I was, and immersed in the intimate recesses of Sona's soul, I discovered something as valuable as any treasure in a dusty tomb. This connection was beautiful - as magical and as real as my amulet. I wasn't the only one with magic running through my veins.

We drifted together in a pleasant stream of pleasure and connection; a rainbow of identity. Although it was possible for us to speak through our mind-connection, words were very unnecessary. Why speak when you can feel and know?

After such an experience, we both held Sona's hands as we walked home together, eager to hold her as we drifted off into the dreamworld with a dear friend.


End file.
